


Metanoia (I am the goddess who exacts punishment for what has and has not been done)

by Fraus_Shafiq



Series: Magical Villain Kids (A greek tragedy, told in non related pieces) [1]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Auradon Timeline give me headaches, Caring Uma (Disney), Djinn Jay, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fae Mal (Disney), Gen, I Don't Even Know, I have so many feelings about this movies is not even funny, Isle Kids Only Want Freedom, Isle of the Lost (Disney) is a Terrible Place, M/M, Multi, Now I'm suffering, Old Tales Villain Kids, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Descendants (2015), Started before Auradon then they go to Auradon, This will not end like Descendants 2015, VKs | Villain Kids (Disney), Witch Evie (Disney), villains too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 26,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22917193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fraus_Shafiq/pseuds/Fraus_Shafiq
Summary: They are children of magic. It's in their bones, boils in their blood and echoes to the drum of their hearts. They belong to the Ocean, deserts, to remote forests and woods, they are destined to so much more than the Isle and dream of a sky full of stars, no clouds on sight.Meanwhile, they will sing in Goblin Wharf expecting their voice reach unknown shores, dance intrincated rituals in the night, rejoiced in darkness awaiting to one day see the sun, they will be rocked by the quiet swinging of a ship.And then, the son of a coward King - heir of their captor - decided it was time to get them out.They hope.Auradon is not ready.Extract:The barrier nulifies magic but can not erase what already existed.Mal is a fairy, Fae from head to toe, she feels it everytime someone gives her a name to posess and something in her chest tighten for the deals people unintentionally make with her; she tried, so hard, to ignore what people temptingly offer but she wasn't raised to be benevolent. Magic is her essence, for all intents and purposes, the barrier couldn't take that from her without killing her.
Relationships: Anthony Tremaine & Dizzy Tremaine, Anthony Tremaine & Mad Maddy & Ginny Gothel & Mal, Beelzebub & Carlos de Vil, Ben & Evie & Jay & Mal & Carlos de Vil, Calista Jane "CJ" Hook & Harriet Hook & Harry Hook, Carlos de Vil & Cruella de Vil, Carlos de Vil & Diego de Vil, Carlos de Vil & Eddie Balthazar, Evie & Evil Queen (Disney), Evie & Gil & Harry Hook & Uma, Evie & Jay & Mal & Carlos de Vil, Evie/Harry Hook, Hades & Mal (Disney), Harry Hook & James Hook, Jade & Jay (Disney: Descendants), Jafar & Jay (Disney), Jay & Nasira, Mal & Anthony Tremaine, Mal & Maleficent (Disney), Uma & Uma's Crew (Disney)
Series: Magical Villain Kids (A greek tragedy, told in non related pieces) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668541
Comments: 62
Kudos: 286
Collections: Supernatural Descendants





	1. Metanoia pt. 1 (Pre- Auradon)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Korë](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20123875) by [TheHarleyQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHarleyQueen/pseuds/TheHarleyQueen). 



> Just a friendly reminder that i don't know what the fuck I'm doing because finals are close and I'm sleep deprived and definitely should be sleeping or - at least - studying and instead of that I'm writing this in Spanish and then translating because sometimes I'm a masochist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAJOR WARNING, I only watched the movies, I don't know almost anything from the books and what I knew I added to this fic. It really gets on my nerves not having all the information I need to write a fic but to be honest, this wrote itself, lone, lonely, loner. Also, this fic develops in what I consider my own AU, because Disney didn't exactly use the folklore behind their characters (At least in the Auradon!TimeLine they used for Descendants, you know, last Maleficent movies and all that) and my personal and subjective opinion and interpretation of the characters.
> 
> This is the playlist I use for writing! (To get into mood and you know, everything is more epic with music):
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6nwSLOjiIOsnTUZHj6AhM0?si=Soo8uolOSLaQv67kfM-0ww

_**Metanoia** (from the Greek μετάνοια, metanoia, changing one's mind) in the context of rhetoric is a device used to retract a statement just made, and then state it in a better way. As such, it is similar to correction, is used in recalling a statement in two way, to weaken the prior declaration or to strengthen it. When it is used to strengthen a statement, works to ease the reader from a moderate statement to a more radical one. Metanoia is later personified as a figure accompanying kairos, sometimes as a hag and sometimes as a young lady. Ausonius' epigrams describe her thus: "I am a goddess to whom even Cicero himself did not give a name. I am the goddess who exacts punishment for what has and has not been done, so that people regret it."_

* * *

The Barrier came to be born out of fear, and as much as Auradonians deny it, in a selfish desire of retribution. By a coward and hypocrite King who had his second chance in life, but coudn't let others have it too if magic was involved in the ecuation; once upon a time an Enchantress placed a spell on a cruel Prince, to show the world how he really looked inside, how ugly and rotten can a person be even with a beautiful appearance, once upon a time magic wasn't in his advantage and he still didn't forget about his paws and fangs. The barrier nulifies magic but can not erase what already existed and half of the Isle's residents are magical beings; an unusually ruthless punishment from someone who stands up for goodness and compassion, advocates for redemption. There was no necessity of bringing Villains back to life only to locked them away in an Isle to putrefy; it is preferable to die, instead of the lack of freedom. Pirates can rant for hours about it to whoever sits and pay attention to their words. There's nothing worse than being a prisoner of your own nature.

Magic boils in their blood, settle into their bones and none of the villain kids can refuse its existence. It's painful, horrifying, that an essential part of them was snatched before they were even able to talk. 'Life is not fair' is the Isle's motto, they all learned early that lesson because it was that or dying, but it doesn't mean they don't feel the loss.

Mal is a fairy, Fae from head to toe, she feels it everytime someone gives her a name to posess and something in her chest tighten for the deals people unintentionally make with her; she tried, so hard, to ignore what people temptingly offer but she wasn't raised to be benevolent. She remembered every promise is made to her, each accord she sealed, and every soul in the Isle knows who they should turn to if they want the terms of a contract to fulfill. It would be easier if her father was a human, diluted blood wouldn't whisper in her ear; unfortunately, even though he was an absent parent, her father is a God - an old one - and that just strengthen what was already there.

Magic is her essence, for all intents and purposes, the barrier couldn't take that from her without killing her.

She recognized it, she accepted it, but she hated it, as much as a fairy can hate as Maleficent used to say. Fae don't feel emotions in the same way humans do, but they do have a long memory and a tendency towards vengeance that few creatures apart from their kind could understand; gods are volatile, erratic and passionate, they experience sentiments as no one has ever before. Mal will always have a dual nature in conflict, yet she conform with knowing she is able to hate and love in a way her mother will never be, the VK taught her that (although understanding, she cannot stop herself from wanting her mother's approval, which is as close as she will get from any kind of affection).

If nothing else, Mal didn't grow up terrified of what she is, didn't have to hide her wings behind tight shirts and pristine clothes and use a glamour to disguise the tip of her ears as Fairy Godmother and her daughter do. It sickens her that even freedom, they let themselves to be limited in those forms.

She is imprisoned but, at least, is against her will. That's what she muttered to herself every night before sleeping.

Mal shouldn't and can't practice her magic, however that doesn't vanish what she truly is, doesn't stop that thought of 'mine' everytime she sees another VK because they are hers as any other being who freely give their name to someone of her kin. That posessiveness might scare a human in its intensity, sometimes makes her feel some kind of guilty, but Mal's not human and the never ending pain the barrier exerts on her never let her forget it; she's not human, she doesn't have to love like humans. She carefully watches over her words since she can't make false promises, lying is not a luxury fairies can allow themselves to do; omit, avoid, conceal, distort, but never lie. They comprehend and not under any condition would ask her something she couldn't keep to, nevertheless she promises and gives her word to them because there is nothing in this world she wouldn't do for her family. There is no treasure to protect in the Isle, no hollow tree to put golden coins and shiny gems, but there are people and that's enough to ease that part of her that refuses to be chained for the fear of a man to magic.

Their friendship... is not easy, nothing is easy in the Isle. Mischief is in her blood, is intrinsic to her kind, she cannot hold back and not torment people a bit, even when not everyone deserve it; Evie was one of her many, many victims, and despite the fact her friend constantly assures her all is forgiven now, Mal won't dismiss it from her mind. Not fae, nor the gods ever forget. She will remember, till the day of her death, the day she decided to take away someone's else freedom for ten years; when she was not better than King Adam and harassed a little girl for something that wasn't exactly her fault, and then tricked a scared kid to betray the only friend he had. She didn't lie to Evie when she invited her to that party in Carlos' house, neither lie to De Vil to help her trapped the other girl, but was a manipulation close enough to directly lying that her magic punished her for weeks.

Mal knew intuitively what her magic was trying to advise her. She forgave and offered an apology for first and last time in her life in the Isle - because is a weakeness all villains kids acknowledge and respect - and went againts her mother's education, but she always was so much more than Maleficent's daughter.

* * *

Evie is a princess, daughter of a Queen. Even more, she's the daughter of a witch.

Maybe that is the reason she finds so comforting the other VK's presence; the barrier can not tear off villains kids from something that was given by nature itself. Mal, with her vibrant green eyes, her purple hair and pointy ears she proudly shows to the world, always feels like something which belongs to forests and woods or temples; Jay who looks and behaves like a human, but like his father is a Djinn and magic swirls below his skin in enthralling patterns with the colour of sand that everyone admire but pretend not to see; Carlos who, notwithstanding Cruella's statements he is nothing special, exhibits the same aura as Mal, as if he is Fae but... different, darker and stranger, and not something Evie wants to examine so close because Carlos is a sweet kid who rarely is influenced by his supernatural blood, whatever might it be.

_(Mal secretly confessed her that once she dared to ask her mother if she knew which Fae engendered Carlos and why one would willingly go even near of the crazy woman. She said Maleficent smiled at her, congratulating her for detecting that in the other kid when herself found it difficult to figured it out, and answered that Cruella simply wanted a child - and while there were no gods of life in the Isle to give blessings - somewhere in the darker depths of that prison of them, there were some creatures older than time willing to grant her with something as artless as a child. Crum-Dubh still wandered the land of livings albeit not in his original form, and although mortals weren't devote to him as in the past, he never forgot his roots; by chance, fate decided he should met Ichabod Crane long years ago and ended up in the Isle. Evie tried not to think about it, but everytime she hugs her friend, she have the feeling there is someone who watches her in the dark. Damn fairies.)_

Evie is a witch incapable of practicing magic, which is essentially the purpose of her life, but that doesn't prevent her from curling up in her friends' proximity, enjoying their out of this world presence. She senses in the tips of her fingers that possibility, tastes in her tongue a potential spell, is delighted by the light of the moon and breathes in the clean air of the ocean in Samhain's nights while she'd danced away from everyone's sight; unable to do magic did not meant she was disrespectful. Uma lets her into her territory the times of energetic change because she was Mal's enemy but never Evie's, the few witches there tended to keep together. Although her mother strictly prohibited her from assisting to the Witch School of the Isle - alleging it was unnecessary if there was no magic and it was the best for her to focus on learning how to get a prince - Evie trades beauty advices with Maddy and Ginny Gothel, and they gathered around under the shade of the only hamadryad who was inclined to speak to kids and listen to her stories from beyond the barrier, from a time when magic was consider a gift and not a curse in the Kingdom.

She does not endure lack of magic like an amputated limb, as Mal described her once, or like air itself suffocated her in its simplicity as Uma said; but there is a _hole_ in her life, not far from the feeling of an open wound oozing blood, still very raw, where something crucial used to be but was stealed and she didn't have it enough to truly recognize the ache. Evie tries to ignore it as much as she can, filling the vacuity with charming smiles and make up, but it's hard when her mother dresses her like a princess and educates her as one but her hands itch and the sticky rhymes slip from her mouth easier than any courtesy and empty praise Grimhilde tries to drill into her mind. Evil Queen taught her to clean, cook, charm and seduce.

Carlos taught her to sew. And Evie thinks that is more precious than any other Grimhilde's lesson.

Each tuesday, her mother sits her in front of a mirror and makes her enumerate out loud every defect and imperfection she could find on her own aspect and body, what improvements she can do about them, and Evie is not surprised the very first thought she always has each time she overlooks her reflection is that she would only need four words to put away the woman in the mirror if she has access to her magic. She longingly watches the red shine of the apples that grows outside her window and comes to think in how easy would be poisoned one and trick her mother into biting one so she would never woken up again, because the only one true love of the Queen will always be herself and there would be no kiss which would save Grimhilde if her own heart was the one rejecting love.

But... her mother would not fall for old strategies and Evie also doubts she could poison her mother without hesitation, as tempting as it would sound.

_(Her father used to say she had a tender heart. He was trying to teach her how to hunt and she cried every time she well-aimed a shoot in little animals; he would wipe away her tears and kissed her forehead and nevertheless he made sure she learned how to use all weapons available in the Isle, how to follow the tracks of a prey and how to get some food in the wild, he never compeled her to continue doing it once she had the knowledge. Her dad gave her all the tools she would need to survive, because the daughter of The Hunter - Queen's favourite - has to know how to do certain things. When her mother found out about his lessons, she forbade The Hunter to continue visiting her and Evie cried for days but it didn't soften up Grimhilde at all because a princess must not ruined the smooth skin of her hands with the hardness of a bow. Evie couldn't see her father again but she never forgot and neither gave up practicing archery, although her hands remained untouched thanks to Mother Gothel advices.)_

She is a witch who cannot conjure anything, chained as the rest of inhabitants of the Isle, but surrounded by creatures and humans who belong far beyond that loathed barrier and even when her emotions tended to avoid the negative spectrum most villains prefered, Evie cannot spare the effort in not feeling resentful for what it's doing to all of them. She's besides Mal when she curls up into herself because it hurts a Fae, people who are made for nature, living among dead vegetation, her father's side not really helping because Hades is Underworld's god, he prospers in the lack of life; Evie is who sits along Jay in the contaminated beach of the Isle, because he sometimes needs to feel the sand even if is wet, so could pretend for a moment he is in the desert he was born to be, singing one of the few arabic lullabies Jafar gave to him when he was a child; she's there for Carlos, who doesn't understand what he is and doesn't want to acknowledge Mal's allegations of his possible father, who craves shadows more than any human kid should and Samhain's nights he goes along to her and the rest of the Isle witches in their rites despite not comprehending because there is something wild behind his eyes which drives him to get out of his bed and _run, run, run_ for the forest in a hunt, but there is not such thing in the Isle and it's slowly killing him.

Is not only for her friends she laments.

She was the one Gil turned to at three in the morning, waking her up from beauty sleep, because he didn't know who else go to and she is the only witch he trusts - their fathers being friends and more than once having play dates when they were kids _(before the exile, before her mother banned her father from visiting, before Mal)._ He took her to Uma, who was screeching and crying from pain in the floor of Ursula's shop - but there was no sign the woman was near - and a desperated Harry Hook whose blue eyes were wide opened and terrified, full with bewilderment; both stared at her when she scarcely could hold Uma up and - without letting them help her - she dragged her outside to sea water and grasped her close while the cecaelia panted, unsuccesfuly trying to breath in. Uma is a Sea Witch as her mother, but even more, she is a creature who must inhabit in ocean depths, not destined to walk in two legs in land; she has problems in adapting to live on the surface, hang out around other magical being helps - as Evie discovered two years ago - but Uma had no one with magic in her surroundings.

_(The nights she spent in Mal's Castle and Maleficent felt particularly chatty, the women whispered almost with sorrow. You are magical, girls, you are magical but you were stolen from that before even born)._

Uma has Harry, who is a real pirate at heart, and Gil - son of Gaston - but both are completely humans and incapable of understand what she is going through. Mal took to her side any supernatural ally she could have, and as good as witches get along with each other, you don't just entrust your weaknesses to others, is not something done in the Isle. After a while, when she considered the captain's breathing was stable enough Evie got them out of the water. Harry was there to received them, a dangerous look on his face, and put his hook in her defenseless throat but she refused to drop Uma; she couldn't, even when she knew Mal was going to throw a tantrum of colossal levels, she couldn't let her go. Uma needed her and though neither of them said out loud they were friends, she didn't want the other girl alone just to relapse. Her eyes confronted Harry's and dared him into doing something about it, killed her there at the shore, her arms still trembling for holding his captain against her -in water - for almost an hour and without a weapon over her, absolutely vulnerable.

The son of Hook hesitated. He looked at Uma, who was unaware of his anger and leaning her face on Evie's neck who was still fiercely holding her, and groaned in frustration. Evie couldn't even rejoiced about her victory when her legs weaken and she fell to the ground, not letting Uma go even in uncounsciousness.

When she woke up again, she was in her room and if it wasn't for the scent of salt in her skin plus her stiffed hair, she would have thought it was all a dream.

In the next confrontarion between the VK and Uma's crew, while her friends clashed swords, Evie was distracted enough to be disarmed by one of the pirates and she felt the steel kissing her skin so she closed her eyes in acceptance of the end... which never came. She opened them when she felt the blade got away from her, but something cold softly brushing her cheek.

Harry's eyes gazed at her, sharp and implacable.

"Yer no allow t'die yet, princess"

And so on, he went away, taking the confused pirate who Evie was fighting by the collar of his shirt, and she realized the strife around them have finished. Carlos jumped and put an arm around her, rambling about the apparently horrible experience while getting them in the opposite direction Uma's crew was heading, but she couldn't stop herself and took a glance behind her, only to see Gil who was smilingly waving at her and Harry shouted at him for that but when he saw her staring, he winked at her. Evie didn't see Uma anywhere, but she felt her voice distantly caressing her ears.

Mal's enemies, but never hers.

Evie smiled in acceptance. She can live with that.

* * *

Jay never had Jafar's shackles in his wrists, but he could as well be locked in a lamp for how the barrier affects his Djinn side. He's surrounded by people who _want, wish, crave_ , because it's an Isle full of greedy villains with ambitions and something inside him rises up eager to make a deal, but he can't because there is no magic and therefore no wishes to accomplish. However, he feels them, remembers every single one. His father says someday they will be free from that prison and he should take into account future clients. He doesn't really believe the barrier will ever fall, but damn if he doesn't ache for it with the ferocity of a sandstorm.

There is no sunlight above the Isle, always covered by storm clouds and Jay feels he is going to wither. Djinn belong between burning dunes of the desert, under a scorching sun which reflects golden patterns in their skin, they are trickters and swindlers, they were born from smokeless fire and like humans, they were created free. But being immortal means there are lots and lots of years of living within they can be chained, as they did by humans. Jafar was a sorcerer and then he became a Djinn, but he fell in the trap of believing genies were made for serving others and his own magic transformed him in retribution, he was punished by his predujices;Jay is the first Djinn, half to be honest, to be born in centuries and while he came to this world with no strings in his soul as most of his kind, he's imprisoned as everyone else in the Isle. Jafar doesn't feel that freedom's craving, he just wants revenge - which is fine - comprehensible as he was human once, but Jay never got the chance, he yearns for fading in the wind and dancing with the sand.

He steals and plays, jokes and flirts around, tries to assuage that ache in his guts each time rain falls over him _(because raining in desert is possible, just not everyday)_ and some of his internal flame dies a little. Djinn were not made for living among water and Jay knows it better than anyone.

He met Mal and that part of him loosen a bit. Fae are not desert creatures but there is magic in her that is not difficult to sense and she more than other understands the power of words and the hunger for deals. Faeries's playfulness mixes well with genies' and Jay couldn't help himself following her. Mal's eyes flashes poisonous green and Jay permitted his own eyes light up red. Their friendship was natural and, as much as she feels like nature itself, Jay recognize something in her similar to him; a fire who cannot be extinguish, born from nowhere, who will always stand because it's just more than their fragile actual shapes.

_(She confessed her father is Hades, and Jay could easily see it. Fire elementals instinctively ackowledge each other and while Mal's fire belongs to Underworld and not the desert, he welcomed the familiarity between them)_

Evie is harder. She is a Witch, and although his own father was once a sorcerer, was her kind who taught humans how to chain them. But she's still magical... and she smiles so brightly he cannot stop himself from coming closer, so Jay delights in her potential power, feels it in his bones, she was theirs now and he didn't fight Mal when she said she is now a VK ; wisely, he remained quiet about the years both of the tormented the girl. First time Evie hugged him, Jay's magic swirled in his chest and showed in his skin, it liked her and welcomed her presence.

With Evie, came Carlos who is supposed to be merely a human as anyone. Jay is perfectly sure he is not. He wouldn't say he can smell powers (that's too weird, he has his limits), and it's complicated to get something from the other kid further than almost cronical insecurity but he _knows_ there is something who is not from this kingdom, not from this world, in Carlos, which feels like Mal and not her Fae side. Jay didn't say anything, but when he put an arm around Carlos and the shadows in their surroundings got darker and expanded, he nodded crearly hearing the warning. There is someone in the Isle who takes care of Carlos and is as dangerous as Hades, but Jay is a Djinn and while they favour solitude, he will not be distancing from his friends because of a threat of an absent parent. He flashed his eyes red in challenge to whatever was hiding in the dark, between the crooked dead trees around Evie's castle.

The VK are not the desert, nor the sun, but Jay loved them nevertheless as if they were. They feel like the freedom it was taken away from them, like the magic they are unable to use and they are his home more than Jafar's tent will ever be.

_(They feel like 'Amto Nasira singing for him and Jade to sleep, her warm kisses in their cheeks, whose magic doesn't turn off because she is no Djinn but was always more than a simple sorceress and, unlike his father, her worst mistake was loving too much)_

* * *

Carlos is human. He knows it. He deduced it from his vulnerability the multiples times he tried facing his mother and horribly failed to do, something she always repeats to him, he's not special, as common as everyone, no, worse than them because he's tiny and powerless, just a fragile and almost useless human. He deserved that corner in his mother wardrobe, not a bedroom. Logically, he understands this, the lack of magic since the barrier shouldn't affect him, ever, he shouldn't even blink at it but... there is something inside him, which is in constantly pain, which hissed in indignation each time his mother shouted at him or commanded him to do her chores. Something dark and angry which twists at Cruella's voice and the nights of the eight festivals claims to run, chase, _hunt_ and he _craves, craves, craves_ for something he doesn't really know or comprehend, but it feels ancient and furious.

He doesn't like to look himself in the mirror those days because there is a wild and sinister creature hiding behind his eyes and there is no Hunt to join to in the Isle, he's no hunter but that's how he knows it should be called.

_(It has many names, Cŵn Annwn, Åsgårdsreia, Vilda jakten, divja jaga... The Wild Hunt. It calls for him, cries for him, it wants him. It invites him to ride through the sky, in old and forgotten roads or above land, it's waiting for him, always waiting for him. 'Come wanderers, hear our calling lost souls, lead us old gods, join in little spirits, it's time to hunt.')_

Carlos imagines that his reflection is exactly what his mother meant when she described a rabid dog. So he sheltered in Evie's arms and gathered with the witches in their rituals trying to calm down what hides in the shadows and under his flesh.

His mother used him as her servant and as Carlos didn't know any better, he allowed it, but there was a voice in the back of his head who sounded like Jay, like Mal, like Evie, that says he did not have to obey this shrivelled women. She is his mother and despite all he loves her; but he can't stay with her, can't live with her, at his early ten years he already understood it and that was what led him to cling into Diego's jacket and begged to take him too, even if at the end, his cousin left without Carlos.

When Jay offered him moving to an aparment in the core of the Isle, he accepted and while he is the only one who permanently resides there, all of the VK has their little home far from home there. Nonetheless, ocasionally Carlos goes back to Hell Hall just to check his mother didn't get trapped in her own trap around the ruined mansion.

_(He recalled the burning pain in his leg, his flesh teared apart and the hours he spent alone, only with darkness as company, and when Cruella found him, there was no reassurance or comfort for him, only a cold hand letting him out and an order to clean his blood from the fur)_

Or just checks if Cecil have murdered her yet. He would forgive him if his uncle sucumbs to the temptation.

It's despicable, and among all villains parents, Carlos admits in the privacy of his mind his mother is the worst. She has not excuse in Fae's nature as Maleficent, or the ambition of a better future for his son as Jafar, nor trying to accomplished her frustated dream in her daughter as Evil Queen.

Cruella's just insane, her sanity mere pieces of cloth sticking together by an impeccable needlework but with cheap thread.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Someone else's furious about Mal's attitude in Descedants 3? Because that's basically the reason I wrote this 'cuz I was so mad... that and the Korë - verse by TheHarleyQueen, if you can, may take a look at it, it's amazing, particularly the line "You are fae. Your word is truth. Your Promises are always fulfilled." Just let me thinking for hours and then this wrote itself)  
> Very nervous about this new fic! I have no plans of this being really long, maybe one or two chapters per movie, let's see how that goes. I'm not used to write in english and this is also a translation of my own fic in spanish, if you have a correction for me, you're more than invited to tell me (SERIOUSLY, YOU CAN, HALF OF THE TIME I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO EXPRESS IN SPANISH AND I'M CONFUSED).


	2. Metanoia pt. 2 - Hubris (Pre-Auradon)

_**Hubris** (/ˈhjuːbrɪs/, from ancient Greek ὕβρις) describes a personality quality of extreme or foolish pride or dangerous overconfidence, often in combination with **arrogance (Ate)**. In its ancient Greek context, it typically describes behavior that defies the norms of behavior or challenges the gods which, in turn, brings about the downfall or nemesis of the perpetrator of hubris. Hubris is a punishment from gods : "Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad."_

* * *

Uma resents the Isle, despises the barrier, loathes the prison where they are sentenced to live because of their parent's crimes. She hates King Adam and his little casuist of a wife, who proclaims to anyone willing to listen to her how she gave her husband a second chance and so their love developed, but neither of them even thought in giving a few children an opportunity. They were born behind bars and unable to do magic - even when they _are_ magic, it runs in their blood, dwells in their chest - innocent kids starting their lives. Everytime her legs hurt like there are a thousand knives stabbing them each step she takes, whenever the air she breathes in doesn't seem enough and she's drowning on land, Uma's hatred rises like the unmerciful waves of the Ocean.

She stared at the water surrounding them which seems to infinetly extend on the opposite side of Auradon - like an illusion of freedom - but the barrier enclosed the Isle and don't let anyone out from any side, and her execration for the King increased.

Uma tried to understand Ariel - the silly mermaid who exchanged her voice for legs so she could walk among humans - but she couldn't. Nothing, not even a stupid prince's love worthed the impossibility of going back home, to live under the Sea as they should. She loves her crew and loves sailing the limited territory they have, but she would love even more safeguard their voyage beneath water. She's a captain since implies being the greatest authority that exists in a ship and that's as close as she will get from the Sea while the barrier remains in its place.

_(She remembers so clearly being four years old and couldn't breathe, her tiny legs unabled to hold her up as they faltered. 'Mommy, it hurts, I can't breathe, why I can't breathe'. She was terrified, gasped as she was asphyxiating from lack of water - lack of magic - and Ursula just walked away from her feebled body on the floor withouth a second glance. 'Remember, Uma, that's how fear feels like, this is the real reason why we're all locked away here.')_

Ursula is a Sea Witch, as Uma, but they are also its daughters. They belong to the unexplored and hidden depths of Ocean where any human has ever been, they are _cecaelias_. They make deals, save lives but take them away as well, magic runs in their veins and resides in their throats, they sing to the Ocean, not to men like sirens. Her mother doesn't love her, nor cares about her unless she needs someone for the night shift, Uma's no more than the end result of a one night stand with a pirate. Davy Jones knows if it wasn't for Ursula's desire of not being alone, she wouldn't even bothered on having her. And Uma gets her, because as well she longs for magic's company, the presence of someone else's magical essence.

But Mal... that bitch had everyone on her side. And Uma couldn't admit any weaknesses to those who could use them against her, because she may not have Ursula on her side but she is definitely not alone; Harry, Gil, her crew, they are all she cares for - her own - and she must protect her family.

_(She disregards Mal once was family too, but not close enough to give her name to her. She was her friend and she loved her but Uma's a Sea Witch and knew better than plainly offered so much power to a Fae who can barely feel emotions. Uma was not aware of who was Mal's father but he was no human whose blood would have diluted Maleficent's, so she couldn't risk her safety on the possibility of Mal being unable to really experience any feeling. When she betrayed Uma just for a laugh, she knew she was always right, creatures of the forests and creatures of the Sea don't get along well)._

She met Harry when they were little kids, running through Goblin Wharf and messing around, dreaming about navigate far beyond the barrier. Son of Hook's smiles were less crooked then and his accent was stronger since he only interacted with his father and sisters, and then Uma; his eyes were clearer and they sparkled with wonder, his dreams were kinder. He taught her not to only sing to the Ocean but also to stars. He was as hot-headed as now, but decidedly less cruel; his father's lessons still hadn't sunk their claws in his mind. Harry who has eyes of the color of water on a sunny day and smells like the salt of the Sea, who is human - not an ounce of magic in his bones - and is a pirate... taking his hand in hers felt like Uma's first step to the future. He's her First Mate, her first friend, one of the few people Uma would destroy the world for. Harry feels like freedom and she thinks that - in other life - he was a child of the Sea too.

( _Once we are free, where do you want to go? Second star ta the right, an' straight on till mornin')_

Gil, youngest son of Gaston, was the first stray she rescued to join her crew. Uma found him dozing close to a trash can, outside her mother's shop. She was going to kick him till he would wake up - Ursula detests homeless people, it reminds her of better times, more desperate you are more willing you are to make a deal - but when she noticed his bruised cheeks and dry tears, she couldn't. It brought to her mind when Harry used to come hiding scratches not so superficial and asking for help to sew a few tears on his shirts - when James Hook drank more than he should have and his children paid for it - so she turned to a more gentle approach. Before she realized - and the kid really processed what had happened - Uma was leading him to the shop's kitchen, made him sit and served him some food and then she tried to put some ointment on his bruises but it was difficult with Gil crying.

Gaston wasn't kind with his kids, after all neither of them were Belle's. He wanted them to be manly, strong, experienced hunters like their father and every time they failed to accomplished his expectations were severely punished. Gil didn't really have a mouth filter which prevented him from saying all that came to his mind and more than once he said something that triggered Gaston's fury. After last Gil's unsuccesful hunt - he tried, he trapped lots of animals, but couldn't kill any of them and what is a hunter who cannot hunt - Gaston exiled him from their house to see if he could make use of some of his skills, maybe hunger would finally drive him to do something else with a hare than just pet it. He was a kindhearted kid who didn't belong to the Isle and didn't deserve the life he had; Uma recruited him without hesitation, even when Gil told her that he never thought on being a pirate. It didn't matter, there was a first time for everything, and Uma knew there was no other way she could permanently stealed him away from Gaston's grip than making him crew. There may not be possible practicing magic on the Isle, but every soul knew better than infuriate supernatural creatures, they didn't think like humans, nor attended to their limits the same way.

No one would dare messing up with a Sea Witch's crew.

( _Uma pretended not to see Gil's silent crying after she told him he would never ever will have to hunt again if he didn't want to, that he could sleep in guest's room until she gets them a ship and there he will have a cabin on his own. Since then, her name from Gil's lips always sounds like a prayer and gratitude.)_

The rest of her crew came little by little, not all of them needing a home like Gil or looking for an adventure like Harry.

Desiree with her sharp eyes and impressive sword's skill was the first after Gil; Shan Yu wasn't exactly happy his daughter decided a pirate's life but didn't try to stop her either, and from time to time they received some Dim Sum the Villain prepare in appreciation for taking care of her. When she's not on board of the Lost Revenge, she helps Uma with Ursula's shop.

Bonny is a free spirit, she didn't bother asking to join the crew, she just appeared one day as she was always there and never left - Harry tried to throw her off the ship several times in vain - she's a stubborn little shit and Uma cannot even turned her down because she makes Gil loudly laugh, she taught Harry how to shine his hook and each morning without fail she gently brushes Uma's long hair into many, many thin braids so it will not get in the way in the middle of a fight. Gonzo is Bonnie's childhood friend, where she goes he goes too and after spent some time with the crew - sometimes just analyzing them, sometimes interacting with them - he showed up one day early in the morning at the ship while Uma was cataloguing some weapons on the prow deck, and sweared allegiance to her like in old times; Uma tried to shushed him - it is not wise commiting your life to a Sea Witch - but his dark eyes were full of fondness and completely aware of what he was doing, conscious of the consequences. Uma held his hands as he was a precious treasure and accepted the life that was being offered to her.

Jonas came with a constant soft smile in his lips, one eye less than he should have this young and a big scar on his left cheek, none of them knows who is his father and his mother has a tiny stand where she sells kerchiefs, shawls and scarfs in the market. She always wrap all of them up, whether would be the weather, and reminds them to take care of themselves, she's one of few adults in the Isle who is affectionate towards them and treats them like the kids they are. They don't know how a sweet woman like her ended up in that horrible Isle, but they don't ask either. It would not be the first time - nor will be the last - that King Adam made a mistake.

Uma has not suspected her small and black heart was capable of holding so many people at the same time, but she can't denied she loves them dearly. They are her family, Uma would die for them - kill for them - and she wants to get them everything is in her abilities to give, gift them all the Seas.

( _Evie is different, is not part of her crew, she is Mal's friend. Uma should resent her or hate her as she does with Jay, even if she tolerated and respected her before only because she was a witch as well as her, but something changed between them that night Uma collapsed when she was closing the shop after night shift; Harry and Gil always makes her some company since they never feel comfortable with her working alone while it is dark outside and she wanted to but couldn't explained to them that it was normal, that was going to end soon and was no thing to worry about, because not even her believed it as she was scratching her neck, screaming in pain and her eyes couldn't stop crying. She couldn't breathe._

_Again, she couldn't breath and she hated it._

_That night Evie came without any kind of weapon on her - no questioning on her mind that might be a trap - in her sleeping clothes that were not adecuated to the cold of the Goblin Wharf. She listened to Gil and undoubtedly followed him when he told her Uma was in trouble and they didn't know how to help her - because the air she took in was dry and insufficient, and she couldn't maintain herself stand since the pressure under the sea is completely different of pressure on land and everything in her ached since her body was not made for indefinitely walk on two legs. When she finally arrived, she blatanly ignored the threats of a very confused and scared Harry, that Uma knew well how intimidating he can gets when he's not in his right mind. She held Uma close to her, as close as she could because although they are not able to use magic, it doesn't mean it's not in every cell of their bodies and Uma felt grateful; Evie's magic was utterly opposed to her, it was earthy and felt to her like efervescent apple cider - bittersweet and a bit intoxicating - but still magic so it pacified something inside her that no magicless being is capable of. After she took her to water and kept them on float, everything went a little blurry._ _Uma knew that night, Evie had absolutely nothing to gain and all to loose, and nevertheless she came._

_Uma woke up hours later, with her face buried in the curve between Evie's neck and shoulder, some of her blue hairs stucked in her cheek and it was almost an odyssey to separate herself from the tangled pile of extremities they have done of themselves that she stopped trying very quickly, too tired to really make an effort._

_She blinked bleary-eyed at the strange situation she found herself into, because somehow they ended up in her room in Ursula's house, her cot put aside in front of her door, not letting anyone to get in, and they were lying over a mess of blankets and bed sheets - some hers, some she cannot recognize - all mixed together into an improvised bed. They were not alone, actually she realized at that time there was an arm around her and Evie's waist and relaxed when she was immediately able to identify Gil 's characteristic snores. Harry was sitting next to them, guarding the door, but his hand with no hook was tenderly going through their hair._

_Something changed that night and while Uma can't allow herself to say it out loud as long as Evie is a VK, the princess is under their protection now - Mal can't be trusted on these matters, if it is between Evie's well-being or hers, Uma knows what the Fae is going to choose._ _Gil already adores her, apparently being somekind of childhood friends, though Uma cannot understands how is that possible and Gil won't tell her; Harry even if a bit reluctant, has a soft spot for the Witch since she helped Uma and for facing him without caring about repercussions._

_Evie will always be welcome in Goblin Wharf and amidst pirates, a badly-kept secret for the crew. The princess clearly didn't undertand exactly what she gained that night and is comprehensibly confused for this - all of a sudden - courtesy if not a bit wary. Regardless, she always smiles at them and sews their ripped capes, she took their measurements and gives them clothes when they need them, a listening ear to hear their usual complaints and give them gentle advises. She hugs Gil and rapidly respond to Harry's flirting as if it was nothing, and is able to keep their pace._

_They care for her, albeit she cannot be theirs like the rest of the crew - as long as she remains at Mal's side - but they can't deny they hold her dear. They won't ever say that out loud, is not something people say to other than family. They still hope she knows it.)_

* * *

Harry Hook loves the ocean and loves the stars, someday he counts on he'll finally see in person all the constelations in the sky and navigate all open water known by men and the ones that are not known yet, explore them because he's always ready for an adventure. He craves for freedom, and while he doesn't feel the barrier as a very physical pain like the supernatural creatures that reside in the Isle - like Uma, like Evie - it doesn't imply the chains are less heavy on his shoulders. He's a pirate, they are the freest humans in this world, but they are all locked down in that prison as common louses, surviving from Auradon's leftovers and in unhealthy conditions.

His father, when he was in good mood and completely sober, he proudly patted his back and told him about the wonders outside the Isle - far away beyond the barrier - about the people he met in his voyages and the strange creatures he came across, the places he found out about and some opportunities where he almost ended up in Davy Jone's locker... about Neverland. Harriet, CJ and Harry loved those days, when James Hook looked like the feared and respected captain that they heard in Uncle Smee and Jolly Roger's crew memories. James wants them to follow his steps, he yearns that even more than he ever wanted revenge against Peter Pan and that's a lot, but alcohol makes him forget sometimes; when he's drunk, utterly wasted, he can't recognize them, he just yells at everything and charges at everyone. It lets him dismiss from mind that despite the fact of still being a captain and still having his ship, he will never sail again; that Peter Pan won over him and not only imprisoned him, but also his children. Harry knows that the deepest regret of James Hook is not loosing against Peter but sentenced his kids to a life with no freedom.

If it weren't for them, he thinks his father would have thrown himself to the water, expecting Davy Jones to take his soul even if he is far away from the depths of ocean.

So Harry dreams and longs to get out. He's a pirate; he will break out from that nasty Isle along with his father and his sisters, to show them the world. That dream changed with years, James Hook will always be his loved father, but he stopped trying to make him proud and living up to his legacy, the night in his drunken hysteria James confused CJ with Wendy Darling and because of that his sister has to use a scarf to cover up the long scar he left in her neck and part of her collar bone, ever since. James quickly startled out of his stupor after that and thanks to Harriet, it didn't ended up being worse.

_(CJ was pale and unrelentengly shaking in their father arms. James's hair was a bloody mess of curls and sweat - his sisters' blood - and the look in his face disheartening. Both of them were crying, and his father was begging for forgiveness, they couldn't get CJ out of his embrace for hours and had to call for Uncle Smee to knock James out. Harry and Harriet didn't sleep that night monitoring CJ's breathing.)_

That night, Harry realized his father is just a flawed human and make mistakes as everyone else in the world, but for his sisters well-being, they can't continue living with him. Since then, he started taking with him a little pocket handy clock everywhere, perfectly knowing his father - while got over his long known fear to Tick Tock - the sound of clocks still haunted his nightmares and caused him discomfort, enough to vanished from the Jolly Roger any device which tells hour. So when Harry's near, James Hook inexplicably gets something to do aside from loosing himself at the bottom of a rum bottle. And if Harry's smile at his sisters those times is always a bit threatening - too much theet said Harriet - well, no one can blame him.

_(He still love his Hook. It was the first thing his father gave to him and he hadn't to share with his sister - CJ still was not even a thought in their minds - the reminder of better and more innocent times, where he sat at his father lap and his arms were the safest place in the world for him and Harriet, when showing affection to them was still an acceptable thing because they were so young it did not matter if it was not something done in the Isle and goodnight kisses in their foreheads were the best part of their day.)_

He met Uma and was also the day he understood what was a real force of nature. Her hair was vibrant turqoise - it reminded him of the bright rocks the water dragged to the shore at dawn - and her voice was sweet-sounding even if her words wasn't anything less. She is Ursula's daughter and a Sea Witch, and he abruptly fathomed why his father always told them to respect that awful woman. Uma's wrath is something to be dread for, like ocean itself which gives life but also takes it away, but Harry would have not expected anything different from one of its children.

It was insane that people like her - more than just humans, more than just pirates - were also imprisoned in the Isle.

A real life tragedy.

( _Uma didn't belong to the Isle, didn't deserve being condemn to live in land, and Harry just hoped that day the barrier fall she will take him with her when she go. Seemed a silly hope, when Uma started her crew and became a captain, of course she's going to take him with her, he's the First Mate.)_

It was hard for him getting used to his crew, the one he met before was his father's and they helped to raise him, it's a totally different kind of relationship. He still didn't know how to deal with people of his age that weren't Uma, who was there since they were young children. Harry never got the concept of personal space or the _'appropiate way'_ \- as Lady Tremaine once said to him - of showing affection, he's a tactile person - like his father and sisters - he didn't understand all the fuss about it. He is always quite disconcerted everytime someone asks him if he's dating Uma, Harry just can't figure out how they come to that absurd conclusions. He seriously doubts Uma will ever tie herself to a human, as short-lived and fickle as they are, her one true love will remain being the Ocean and there is no rival who can beat it. Harry knows it and accepts it, whereas when he was a little lad of six years who thought he was going to marry her, he's not the right one for Uma. He doesn't love her any less for that, just a different type of love, maybe stronger and reliable since it is a risky thing to do, giving one's heart to a Sea Witch.

That didn't stop him or the crew from offering their lives to her.

But Gil and him plus the rest of Uma's assorted choices of family are nothing more than mere humans, and there are things human will never comprehend, consequences of being a magical being imprisoned behind the barrier they don't suffer. So they were not prepared the night Uma's legs faltered and her body hit the floor.

Harry immediately was on her side and held her hand, trying to help but without the faintless idea of what the hell was happening. Uma was crying and screaming, and Harry was afraid, really terrified, that would have been the last time he saw her captain's eyes opened. Gil left, running to look for help and Harry didn't know who he went for but he didn't think they could be able to do something about that.

He certainly didn't expect Mal's fussy little princess. That was not the solution Harry was aiming for -" _Gil,_ _why in Hades did ya' turn ta the enemy" -_ but the princess instead of took advantage on Uma's defenseless condition or laughed or did whatever villain and villain kids are supposed to do when they found their adversary in such state, she let out a gasp of what looked like horror. Harry almost hooked her when she approached to them, but Evie blatanly ignored him, gently touching Uma and the loud screams stopped.

Harry still couldn't fathom what on earth was going on.

Evie was murmuring comforting and senseless words to Uma, and held her close to her, like proximity would have been enough to stop her pain - as if Harry hadn't tried before. His captain weeped a bit to being moved, and with every excruciating moan she let out, the princess held her closer. To his surprise, Uma allowed this - he had no doubt, not for a second, that even in her weaken state Uma wouldn't have let her do that if she didn't wanted - and seemed relieved in her embrace. Harry was surprised once more when the fragile girl lifted Uma up; not easily, he could say the princess was struggling but she didn't let Gil helped her and started an agonizingly slow descent from the Wharf to the shore. Harry witnessed her stumbling and swaying, but not even once she dithered in carrying Uma. Almost gave him a heartattack when he noticed princess' intentions on submerging into water and if it wasn't for Gil catching hold of him, he would have already took off Uma from her arms.

He didn't know how long they stayed in, but it felt like an eternity until Uma calmed down and saw Evie pulled them out of water.

Harry put his hook on Evie's throat and the threat was clear enough without being spoken up, because it didn't matter how much Gil insisted on she was helping, that didn't look like helping. But princess refused to drop Uma, she challenged him with her big bambi eyes and even shaking from cold and tiredness, she didn't let Uma down. Now, without the fear for his captain disturbing his mind, Harry allowed himself to truly examined Evie's state and what he saw, made him put his hook down. Evie was in her sleeping clothes which was the same as being naked since she was all wet and at the mercy of night's cold, there was no weapon on her and the only thing in her arms was his own captain; she was as dangerous as an ant, absolutely nothing menacing on her. It was a good choice, him putting down his hook that is, or Evie would have hooked herself with her weigh when she fell unconscious. Harry was quickly enough to stop their falling to the sand.

He and Gil carried them to Ursula's, walking side by side since even in unconsciousness, the girls didn't let the other go.

When Uma finally woke up and explained what happened, he was furious with his captain for not telling them this before and also deeply grateful with the witch lying between them for appearing, unaware of their discussion. Harry couldn't stop himself from reverently caressing Evie's cheek, she was still holding Uma's hand as if she was scared the pirate could relapse in her sleep, completely vulnerable and only because she heard Uma needed her; another force of nature, another magical being who didn't deserve to be in the Isle. What she risked that night was something none of them would have risked if the situation was inverted (well, maybe Gil, bit he didn't count on this). His captain might have been thinking the same since there was something unreadable in her eyes while she contemplated Evie's asleep face, something Harry couldn't interpret but was far more than mere respect or gratitude, and was similar to the way she looked their crew - affectionate, maybe a bit irked by their craziness - and he wanted to ignore it because the princess was not theirs, she was part of the VK, and they couldn't allowed themselves that kind of weakness.

And Harry never noticed Evie before since there were more bigger hazards than a crownless princess, but turned out she wasn't only that. Evie's a witch, with magic fluttering under her delicately deceitful skin and realizing from those red apple lips could - at any time - slip the most letal spells, kind of threw him off balance. Witches should be respected and feared, as any magical creature that could easily killed humans with less than a thought.

Uma was one, Evie seemingly another.

Uma commanded him to take her back to the Evil Queen's Castle and Harry abruptly had a reminder of who he was really dealing with. Of course Evie is a witch, the most beautiful things in this world were usually the most perilous, it was the best ruse. That didn't mean that when he held her in his arms, she felt like he could effortlessly break her like glass.

In his walk to the Castle, after carried her for a big stretch of the road, he may have understood what Uma saw in her. There was an earthquake inside Evie which wanted to be released but couldn't make anything more than slight seisms from the frail container it had since the barrier's limitations; dry grass under his feet become greener and inclined to the unconscious girl he was carrying - like it was trying to reach her - as he walked by, and the withered trees that surrounded castle's area seemed to wildly winded around as if they thought he could hurt the witch. Evie is a daughter of Earth as much as any fae or hamadryad on the Isle; nature recognized her and loved her as its cherished child, he wasn't carrying a princess, he had in his arms a natural disaster awaiting to unleash. Harry deeply breathed in and stared at Evie, and he felt like in his first meeting with Uma; the human in him respected the witch's potential, the pirate in Harry lamented she was also imprisoned in that hell hole.

He couldn't wait for the day all of them will be free. Uma will be the storm that terrorize sailors far beyond Auradon, the voice who sings amidst the mist and guides them to safe ports, the terror who hides in depths; Evie will be earth wrath, the one who charms travellers into their downfall and rubs shoulders with fairies, from her mouth may arise sweeter verses than honey or curses darker than night, and men will tremble to her feet because there is no shame on fearing death, as beautiful as she may look.

Harry sighed and expected for those days.

* * *

They are children of magic. It's in their bones, boils in their blood and echoes to the drum of their hearts- They belong to the Ocean, the desert, to remotes forests and woods, they are destined to so much more than the Isle and dream of a sky full of stars, no clouds on sight.

Meanwhile, they will sing in Goblin Wharf expecting their voice reach unknown shores, dance intrincated rituals in the night, rejoiced in darkness awaiting to one day see the sun, they will be rocked by the quiet swinging of a ship.

And then, the son of a coward King - heir of their captor - decided it was time to get them out.

They hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Book's characters (for people like me who didn't read the books or watched the series): Bonnie, Desiree, Gonzo and Jonas are real characters to my susprise (like, they have a name in books and I didn't expected that, so yay me!) Uma's crew as well in the movies as the books. CJ and Harriet are Harry's sisters (Harriet is the eldest daughter of Captain Hookand and CJ's the youngest), and apparently they have an appearance in the animated series (which I just discovered yesterday, how does it even work with the movies, I don't know, because I haven't watched it. Anyway, I imagined CJ is twelve or thirteen years old.)
> 
> Villains' memory aid: They are most of the time quite memorables so... this shouldn't be so long. Tick Tock ( also known as our resident crocodile who ate James Hook's hand), Shan Yu (Mulan's antagonist, leader of The Hun Arm) is the owner of a shop which sells Dim Sum.) I imagined him as Desiree's father.
> 
> Have a question for people who read the books. Does Hadie really exist? Because Descendants wiki says yes but Wikipedia says no, and both pages are public and anyone can edit them, so... if he does, what kind of relationship he has with Mal?


	3. Hamartia - Aletheia (Pre-Auradon)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Auradon. They were invited to Auradon, to the other side of the barrier.
> 
> (You're Fae, Mal, raise your head and walk proud, we are children of Earth, heirs of Wind, we came before men and we will continue existing after them, do not let mere ephemeral bonds tie you. Our word is the truth and our promises are fulfilled, do not offer more than you can give or it will be your ruin.)
> 
> "Villains' kids will be free" Mal felt it as the weight of her words laid below her tongue, quivered in her vocal chords, reverberated as an echo in her bones and theeth, synchronized to the beat of her heart and flowed through her veins, in her blood, covering every centimeter of her body. "I promise"
> 
> (Attention, Mali. Deals can be manipulated and promises can be broken, but no one escapes from death.)
> 
> And in her chest, the embers set on fire, burning everything on their way. And Mal remained with the weigh of only one promise... and it was not stealing a wand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Memory Aid of Villains (and hero): Yen Sid is the powerful sorcerer from Fantasia (y'know, that movie where Mickey is an apprentice of this guy) he is a teacher of Weird Science in Dragon Hall and teaches how to use science and technology instead of magic. Dr. Facilier is the antagonist from The princess and The Frog, and has two daughters, Freddie the eldest and Celia the youngest (we love her, this is the only kid I didn't have to investigate too much because she was in movies, she's my new favourite). Lady Tremaine is Evil Stepmother from Cinderella, she teaches Evil Schemes and Nasty Plots at Dragon Hall, Mal is really good at this class; she has two daughters (Anastasia and Drizzela), who also ended up in the Isle, in turn, Anastasia's Anthony Tremaine's mother (who is Mal's age) and also two or three daughters we don't know their names in books; Drizzela is Dizzy's mother. Mother Gothel is the adoptive parent of Rapunzel, the one who kidnapped her as a baby and raised her locked up in a Tower, she also has a daughter in the Isle called Ginny Gothel, she teaches Selfishness at Dragon Hall. Maddy is Madame Mim' s granddaughter.
> 
> Nasira is Jafar's fraternal twin sister, main antagonist of Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge. She's a middle-aged sorceress/necromancer of Arab descent. I supposed she was Jade's mother, who is the niece of Jafar and cousin of Jay. She's briefly mentioned in the novel Isle of the Lost and Descendants 2: Uma's Wicked Book (For Villain Kids). Jade is mentioned among those who have wrestled crocodiles (she attempted to wrestle a six-foot crocodile underwater. This proved to be a mistake because she almost drowned).  
> The thing is, I didn't read the part that says she's older than Jay or at least the same age, and I imagined her as younger, and then I finished the chapter and when I checked the page turned out I was wrong but... well, it's a fanfic, and she's not a particularly important character so whatever. 
> 
> When I imagine Lagan and Derelict (they are Flotsam and Jetsam's offsprings, that Jay got from the bad bag on Evie's birthday), in my head they are the moray variation of Gymnothorax undulatus. If you want a visual reference.
> 
> The translations of Arabic will be at the end of the chapter. BY ANY MEANS I SPEAK ARABIC, what I did was taken notes from several pages on internet and watched a couple of videos (take into consideration that was an investigation I started in spanish, so it probably the romanizations of the language aren't exactly the same in english, I mean the sounds may be different, and even in spanish the translations were different from video to video and page to page, what I think it may have happenend because of differents dialects and regionalisms, but I won't get my sticky fingers on that matter). If you speak arabic, you're more than invited to correct me.

_**Hamartia** (derives from the Greek : **αμαρτία** ) was first used by Aristotle in his Poetics. In tragedy, hamartia is commonly understood to refer to the protagonist's error or **tragic flaw** that leads to a chain of plot actions culminating in a reversal from felicity to disaster ( **When the "tragic hero" tries to do the "right thing" in a situation where the right, simply, can not be done** ). What qualifies as the error or flaw can include an error resulting from ignorance, an error of judgement, a flaw in character, or a wrongdoing._

_**P.S: Aletheia** (Ancient Greek: ἀλήθεια) is truth or disclosure in philosophy. The literal meaning of the word ἀ–λήθεια is "the state of not being hidden; the state of being evident." It also means factuality or reality. It is the opposite of lethe._

* * *

Auradon. They were invited to Auradon, to the other side of the barrier.

Mal blinked, once, twice, three times, no, her mother wasn't writhing in pain on the floor. It wasn't a lie. She stared at Maleficent, and she was too glad for the news, an almost maniac grin stretching from ear to ear in her beatiful face. Mal frowned, immediately alerted, there must be a trap. There was always a trap, when it comes to her mother.

She looked sideways at her friends - perfectly knowing they yearned getting out of that Isle as much as her - and she lightly shook her head to them so they wouldn't say anything and run at the slightest sign of danger. Maleficent likes playing with people's minds, just as a cat likes playing with food before sinking its theeth into its prey's tender throats, and she was more than used to the older fae's ways but she wouldn't let her extend that kind of treatment to the other VKs.

"I'm not going to some boarding school fill to the brim with prissy pink princesses, at least willingly" She glanced at Jay, expecting he would understand where she was aiming, and let a relieved sight when her friend smiled.

"Yeah, I don't do uniforms unless it's leather, you feel me?" Jay laughed a bit, trying to pass it on jokingly and not directly denying a Maleficent's order, no one would straightforward dismiss her mother if they wanted to remain alive.

Sleeping beauty's story was just the tip of the iceberg of her mother's criminal record, and if it wasn't because involved a princess it wouldn't have spread as it did.

Carlos took a step forwards, setting out something Cruella would have approved.

"I read somewhere" and clearly someone has been sneaking into Dr. Facilier's library "That they allow dogs there in Auradon. Mom says they're rabid pack animals who eat boys who don't behave."

And while everyone knew that it might have been just another of Cruella's crazy ideas, they have never seen one in the Isle. They wouldn't risk it. Not in a place where people and animals weren't limited by the barrier like there. Carlos was the proudly owner of Beelzebub - one of Lucifer's kittens - and she was a little vicious beast to anyone who wasn't her De Vil's kid and if dogs chased cats like them, the VKs seriously doubt they weren't menacing. Lady Tremaine have never denied Cruella's rants about it while they were at her beauty salon. Maybe not rabid beasts, but surely dangerous.

Maleficent contemplated them in silence - one by one - with her vibrant green eyes and Mal asked herself if she looked the half intimidating as her mother when she does that, she really hoped so. With a finger, Maleficent indicated them to follow her and her friends stared at her in apprehension, Bargain Castle wasn't exactly their favourite place to stay and she understood - Mal didn't like to spend much time there neither - but it wasn't an option this time. She lowered her head and started walking behind her mother, not much later she heard the characteristic steps of her friends, soft and almost imperceptible if it wasn't for the clinking of Evie's jewels and the faint noise of Jay's leather. Carlos didn't produce even the slightest sound and Mal found it funny because even if he denied it to the four winds not having a Fae parent, he walked just like her.

When they arrived, Mal tensed at her friend's parents presence, strategically distributed along the Hall blocking any possible exit. Mal saw her friends wearily sighed at their sight, it wasn't simply a Maleficent's game if they were all involved. She gave to Jay a subtle look and then they were moving to let Evie and Carlos between them so they wouldn't directly face any of the Villains. Neither of them liked how their friends' attitudes totally changed towards their parents' vicinity, a mocking parody of their true personalities; Evie's smile too tense - as if it was fixed there by needle and thread - and Carlos' expressive features in a permanent inescrutable face, the fear in their eyes to their progenitors like they felt a single wrong move was worthy of punishment.

Sure, Mal and Jay didn't have a spectacular relationship with their parents, but fear... no, they never were afraid of them. Unfortunately, it was more than common - this kind of strange family interactions, that is - in the Isle.

_(She remembered a time when she shared laughs and pranks with Uma, and Mal felt like she was holding the ocean everytime the Sea Witch took her hand, and how that otherworldly immensity became a little sad puddle on a rainy day when Ursula was mentioned. A time, before things between them embittered, when Harry would come to her for help with his scratches or for some medicinal ointment for his sisters, when CJ was so young - fragile - and her tiny arms barely surrounded her waist while she hid her face in her chest. Mal could be angry, could resent, but she could never forget when they were hers and their pain too)_

After their parents revealed their plan, Mal was completely ready to decline. Of course, it was a promise of freedom and that will always tempt her more than anything, but they would be sending them into the lion's den, and if they'd fail Mal didn't think the new King wouldn't crushed them as his new chew toys. Auradon could preach all they wanted about redemption and forgiveness, but there were no mercy for Villains' kids before and there would be not now, the minimal sentence they could have would probably be getting back to the Isle and she doubted the rest of Villains would not pierced them for ruining their last chance to freedom. No, it wasn't safe.

Maleficent saw in her posture everything Mal could have ever expressed out loud and let very clear that it wasn't an option. This was an order and she was merely informing them as courtesy, nevertheless she stared at her and tried to refuse with her magic but her mother's will was stronger than hers; she silently seethed, it was not like they could really confront each other at all their strenght with the barrier firmly in place, maybe if that was the case - even if she wouldn't have won - she would have put up more resistance than she could manage with a single will domination. It was not fair.

Mal discreetly nodded to her friends to go packing after this was finished. They couldn't get away from this.

Their parents entertained themselves with that old act as if they want their children to stay, as if they were trying to raise their hopes for affection and then squashed them when it is no more than because of their use to them; none of them fell for it, too accostumed, almost a trained script. Even when she detached herself from the conversation, Mal didn't stop paying attention to the villains in the Hall and when Cruella decided to get close of Carlos, she was immediately on his side and guided him to the table, staring at the mad woman in warning; if she ever touched him, Mal would ripped her hand and she doubted her mother would care. Regrettably, she had to get away when Maleficent called for her to get near of the fridge, that she still called the "safe".

Mal shared a brief amused look with Evie. She and Grimhilde had more than a discussion about the vacuum cleaner.

Their mothers would have leveraged from Yen Sid's lessons about science and technology uses, something kind of basic on the Isle as a consequence of lack of magic, and their Weird Science's professor was the kindest and more patient man - bit strict though, but it was an indispensable requirement in a school as Dragon Hall - that she has ever met, she hadn't doubts he would have no problems on teaching adults as well as their children. Villains' kids will never admit it out loud, but they respected the sorcerer for the favour he was doing to all of them, they really did; their lessons were one of few there were no record of major incidents or fights. He was the only volunteer of Auradon to go to the Isle, a sorcerer that willingly distanced from his magic to give classes to their enemies' offsprings, to daily live among Villains and subjected himself to their lifestyle in that prison although being a "hero" as any of who freely live out of the barrier. He didn't teach in a castle - as probably Auradon's teachers did - but in an old tomb re-purposed to act as a school, he drank tea along Lady Tremaine while she planned her next lesson and organized her Salon's scheduled; he joked around with Dr. Facilier till his laughs started to echo out of the library and resound in the corridors, which made Freddie Facilier had a good mood all morning because her father rarely laughs so truly; Mother Gothel sent her students to him when she got annoyed of all of them and Yen Sid opened his office for an hour - everytime because she started doing that as a routine - even though he was on his break.

He was a good man, he didn't deserve being there with all of them and anyway decided to do it. Mal sighed, her mother would never accept to take classes from such a standart of kindness.

Maleficent brought her back to reality when she presented her spell book, and Mal had to retain herself from simply pull it up from her hands. Her mother's Grimoire, which contained all the spells she created, it was an invaluable item for people like her who didn't know how to focus their magic without words ( _and how could she, if the chance was never given to her)_ ; Maleficent got over it in her youth, purely keeping the stronger ones which required a fixed syntantic and melodic structure so the magic wouldn't fade away in the air after building up, aiming to a specific objective. That book would be their way of escaping if everything else fail, taking into account the only knowledge Mal had about spells and magic, was what Maddy taught her when they still were friends, and Mal's magic was completely different from the witches'.

Her mother nostalgically looked the Grimoire.

"Remember? When we were spreading evil and ruining lives?" Maleficent breathed out a too longing sigh for Mal's comfort, her mother's times could be from seven hundred years ago up to before being imprisoned and not all of the things she did would be approved by the Villains of the present day "And now, you will be making your own memories... By doing exactly as I tell you."

Her mother looked straight in her friends' eyes, but the threat was for Mal, always for Mal. She saw the colour drained from their faces, and they were right at being afraid, but she wouldn't let the older fae play with them as if they were Mal's posessions, yes, they were _her_ people but not her toys as her mother probably considered them. Fae have a very twisted way of comprehending the world and even when Mal will always be able to understand up to a certain point their sight, she didn't like the idea of people being disposable or replaceable.

_(You're Fae, Mal, raise your head and walk proud, we are children of Earth, heirs of Wind, we came before men and we will continue existing after them, do not let mere ephemeral bonds tie you. Our word is the truth and our promises are fulfilled, do not offer more than you can give or it will be your ruin.)_

Sometimes, Mal wished Hades would have taken her too, when he ran away... but, there is no sense on thinking that.

The past is past. Forgive, forget.

She looked at her friends' terrified expressions and something in her chest burned like embers.

_I won't let her touch them. Ever._

_(My little Mali - and she closed her eyes, listening to the voice that came as a lullaby from a long lost dream - you are half goddess. There are no string on us, we do not have rulers nor we know what is lie because all souls will always speak the truth to us and all living creatures will come one day to our realm. Deals can be manipulated and promises can be broken, but no one escape from death.)_

"Villains' kids will be free" And Mal felt it as the weight of her words laid below her tongue, quivered in her vocal chords, reverberated as an echo in her bones and theeth, synchronized to the beat of her heart and flowed through her veins, in her blood, covering every centimeter of her body. "I promise"

She closed her eyes and accepted it, because there were never more truthful promise that should be accomplished than that one.

Maleficent smiled, a gentle and charming thing that reminded her that the other Fae not always belonged to shadows, her long thin fingers delicately touch her shoulder and disguised the strenght that hand really had. After all, her apparently fragile mother has broken more necks than any human have dreamt of, with her captivating eyes has brought death to whole kingdoms and with her sweet mouth has taken away the last breath of unccountable beings. The woman towards her is a monster, a beautiful one but not for that less cruel.

Ah, maybe that was Hades saw in her.

"And the Wand, my dear?" She gritted her theeth but didn't let her annoyance showed on the outside, because it was Maleficent who taught her to be careful of her words, she quickly realized of what Mal tried to do "Will you bring me the Wand?"

_(Attention, Mali._ _Deals can be manipulated and promises can be broken, but no one escapes from death.)_

"Yes, of course, I'll bring you the wand" Mal smiled "I think that is time I should go packing, don't you think?"

And in her chest, the embers set on fire, burning everything on their way. Mal remained with the weight of only one promise... and it was not stealing a wand.

She took away Maleficent's hand from her shoulder, but hold it in hers for a brief moment. She did not know when or if she would meet her mother again and in what circumstances; she wanted to keep this just a little longer, memorized the proud look on her face and pretended she could feel some of her affection, even if it was false or theatrical. Mal understood, she really did, her mother is incapable of loving like humans - there are beings that simply are wired different - and something on that easy entrust of their hearts just did not mixed well with Fae's lifestyle, but she wanted to believe that after all these years without being surrounded by their kin, something in Maleficent soften a bit. For her.

The bewilderment in her mother's expression said otherwise and Mal distanced before the other woman take advantage of that brief moment of weakness. Mal didn't cry, but was pretty close to that.

Her steps were heavy as she entered her room, resounded on the empty castle and she wanted to scream, but breathed in and let it go.

She didn't want to let it go. But fury didn't look well on her.

_(Our anger can break the world, Mali. We have destroyed entire civilizations in pure whim, no one wants to see what we can do when we are really furious.)_

She mechanically folded her clothes, not wanting to think if that would be the last time she saw her room. She reverently passed her fingers over the old furniture and carefully removed from her hiding places - which she religiously engraved on the stone, gradually sculpting the little holes and then making a false stone with Maddy's help - her treasures, the ones she hid so her mother wouldn't snatched if she ever messed up.

The customized mirror Evie gifted her. In the inscription of the cover she sewed around the steel - not iron, never iron - there was a spell, embroider with one of the best threads the witch could get in the Isle, a nice gesture more than anything. The idea and the dream of one day getting out, and that day had come.

_("_ _So you'll always see reflected the truth. Whatever the mirror shows you, that will be your inner and truest self."_

_"Do you want me to scream in horror, Evie?"_

_Her friend's smile was soft and affectionate. Mal couldn't joke anymore if she was looking at her like that._

_"Whatever the mirror will show you, Mal, it will be beautiful".)_

A rough hand-made bracelet - as if was made of spare parts and wires - but intertwined with colourful flowers that looked like fresh-cut. Mal warmly smiled, Jay and Carlos convinced the hamadryad to give them some of her flowers that would live as long as she would live. It was hard months for them trying, since the fae hated them.

_(Her breath was caught when she felt the magic on the bracelet, magic of her kind, belonging to nature. The eyes of her friends were gentle while they looked at her, perfectly knowing how much hurt her living in the Isle among dead vegetation or weak grass that didn't grow beyond Evil Queen's Castle, where she still didn't go near because of shame. They shrieked like Banshees when she jumped on them to hug them. Mal laughed.)_

Her fingers stopped a second over a shell necklace and she gingerly lifted it up, afraid of it was going to suddenly collapse in her hands. The first and last gift from Uma, Mal's smile faltered. It was a little violet shell held by a thick black thread, which Uma painstakingly painted several swirl patterns of the colour of her hair at sun. It was a tiny pretty thing, worthy of being taken with her. Mal wrapped it with one of her few handkerchiefs and put it away with the rest of her belongings, Uma never demanded it back and Mal would not be the one who will remind her to.

_("We will always be friends and this is my proof. Although it may not look special, this is the way cecaelias know if their family is still alive. Ocean depths are vast and mostly unknown, you're never sure if that will be the last time you see someone and keeping in touch is a difficult thing when water takes you away. If... if this ever get broken by itself, Mal, that means the Ocean claimed me, it remains untouched as my body on this Earth. Don't lose it and don't forget, this is the symbol we're family now, even if you're an Earth's child.")_

And a... Mal let out a tremulous breathe. It was not there. The flute was not there. She abruptly stood up and started looking around her room. It had to be there, if Maleficent would have found her hiding places, she wouldn't have taken only a little instrument. She turned her room upside down. She searched everywhere, looked everywhere, lifted all her furniture up, thrown everything out of her wardrobe. It had to be there.

But it wasn't.

It was anywhere to be found.

It just wasn't there. Mal's eyes stinged.

Before she could even processed the loss, her acute sense of hearing captured the cheerful melody of a flute coming from out of her window and Mal didn't hesitate in drawing back the heavy curtains that blocked the sight of her balcony. And effectively, climbed up on the edge of the balustrade was a young man deftly playing a little wooden flute, his fingers dancing over the holes on the roughly carved and smoothen wood.

Mal didn't relax, but the previous tautness disappeared from her posture.

"Anthony" She resignedly said. There was no need in asking why he was in her balcony, the news of their leaving probably spread to the whole Isle "Get your ass out of the balustrade, if you fall I won't be the one who tells little Dizzy how her cousin foolishly broke his neck"

Anthony stopped playing.

He intensively examined her behind his long and dark eyelashes that concealed the colour of a storm, and slowly dropped the flute that once he prepared with childish hands for Mal, so many years ago. There wasn't any noticeable expression on his face, but at least it wasn't neither his usual bored look by default, as if anything in this world caused the less interest.

Since they were kids, there was something on the Tremaine that almost felt like out this world - another spirit among all of them - but Mal certainly knew he was completely human, mortal and breakable. She wouldn't relax by any means until he got close to her, away from a possible long and painful fall to the ground.

He nonchalantly put a foot on the floor and then the other even slower, absolutely unhurried and unaffected for Mal's fear of his potential death, actually relatively amused by it. She didn't want to fear for Anthony, any alliance or bond between them was destroyed the day she ruined Maddy's hair because she hadn't wanted people calling them twins. She wouldn't say she regretted it, since the only thing she learned from her father was accepting the consequences of yours decisions - even if you don't like them - and taking them to their final bitter end.

_(She lost more than one friend that day the elegant lilac hair of Maddy disappeared into an Aqua green in her desperately tryings of getting better the disaster Mal made of her, since she sometimes was a selfish bitch and didn't like the idea of someone looking like her. Ginny Gothel still refused to even look at her and Anthony was never an articulated or particularly expressive kid, but there was no charming compliments anymore for Mal or that little warm and gentle smile he gave to his friends when they did something stupid but endearing. Only icy and emotionless politeness because Anastasia raised a well-mannered kid, but nothing more than that.)_

_"_ Mal, were you leaving without saying goodbye? How rude of you" A dark eyebrow arched towards her direction and Mal pushed down the part of her that was jealous of that gesture, she never mastered it as the Tremaine or her mother, on them it was almost a kind of art "Poor me that stupidly thought we were friends"

Anthony's graceful fingers swinged the flute by its end - near the lip plate - and she knew it would be really hard to break or even uncharacteristic of the Tremaine letting it fall, that didn't stop her hands anxiously curving not to take the instrument from his grip.

"You know very well we are not" Mal didn't regret it but gods if the distance didn't make anything better, years passed and it still hurt "Not anymore".

Any amusement or fun in Anthony's eyes fade away. A tense silence installed in the balcony, both refusing to be the one who'd break it, too much history between them and in its major part was not good. While they stared at each other, Mal tried to burn into her memory how he looked like at that moment because next time - and there will be a next time, she will assure it - he will probably look older, his jawline was already chiselling and perhaps when they'll meet in the future he could have lost that cuddly roundness that stubbornly clung to his cheeks. Tremaine's face always have aristocratic features - his whole family would perfectly fit in a real castle instead of the decaying Isle - those features possibly will accentuate with age, as what happened with Anastasia and his sisters. His dark brown hair that with years was getting darker and darker will probably get the pitch black of Drizzela's or Lady Tremaine's in her youth. He wouldn't be a kid anymore.

Although, none of them ever had the luxury of really being kids.

"Yeah, I know" Anthony finally said "But I didn't come to talk about Maddy, not today. I came... look, the whole Isle knows about Maleficent's plans but I _know_ you Mal, you can be ruthless but you don't kill, much less children. And I'm sure you are aware most of our parent's enemies have children of our age or younger and also the first rule of the Isle."

_If you find a weakness, take advantage of it as much as you can._

Yes, Mal was perfectly conscious of what would happened to Auradon's kids if the worst Villains of the Isle escape. She didn't believe those protected heroes' children knew even what the word "torture" meant.

"Are you saying I'm gonna fail? Bold of you to assume that, Tremaine"

Mal tried to sound lighthearted, but there was no humor in her voice or expression. She couldn't make the effort.

"I wouldn't care less if you fail or not, Mal, I don't think I'd be considered good enough to live out of here either, sooner or later I'd end up here again" Anthony gently shook his head and his notorious baritone voice quivered a bit "Don't misunderstand me, I wanna leave as everyone else, God, we all want to get out of this hell hole but... I wouldn't mind staying if that implies that my sisters and Dizzy have the opportunity to leave. None of them deserve being here"

 _Neither do you._ But Mal swallowed her complaint because it wasn't the right time, though it was the truth. _You're brilliant, Anthony, you also deserve a sky full of stars without limits on sight._

"I'm not asking... I never ask for a favour, much less to a Fae" And here Anthony's expression melted into something that looked a lot like desperation and her heart ached, because they were kids. They were just kids. "I want the assurance that even if you fail, even if you don't achieve whatever your mother wants, you'll get them out of here"

"Anthony, you know there are rules about this" And she didn't mean to, she already made a promise that technically included his sisters and every Villain kid and that was enough, but this was beyond that, this would be a deal. It was so tempting. "I can't just give something so freely"

"Anything, I would give anything"

No. That was wrong. She couldn't accept.

She shouldn't.

But even if there was no magic on him, something called her like a siren song.

She craved it for herself. She couldn't stop the words coming out from her mouth.

"I want a favour of equal price"

_A soul for a soul._

She shouldn't.

Stop.

Her sharp theeth bited her lips.

It was not okay.

"Anything you want, you can have it."

_Oh. And she wanted._

Mal knew she couldn't really give that certainty, the only and maximus punishment for failing to fulfill a promise - _a contract_ \- was her life and she may not even have that if she fail on her mother's plan. But she still felt the grip from her previous promise, and how the deal softly interwined with the bond in her magic, she would repeat them till the end of times, until they were their reality. She nodded.

"Villains' kids will be free. Your sisters and cousin will be free" And Anthony widely opened his eyes, because that was not exactly what he asked for and he knew how much Mal would lose if she failed and those were many, many kids "I promise"

_I promise, now and forever._

And the fire in her chest raised, but didn't shatter these words, it burned them on her soul as an inscription etched for eternity. They will follow her even if she crossed river Lethe in her father's domains, she will take them with her as a chain on her neck if she fail on freeing these kids, she will not be able to remember her name but _this promise_ will be a certainty that won't let her go not even if she has to go through Tartarus for it.

Anthony seemed so relieved, as if a weight dropped from his shoulders and Mal couldn't stop the bitter laugh that slipped through her lips. Not even her understood exactly the importance of what she had done, but it was far stronger than a Fae promise.

"Thank you, I'm so sorry but thank you" And before Mal realized, he got her on a very thighten embrace that felt too much like a final goodbye to her, it gave off sadness and distress, it tasted on her tongue as remorse and interrumpted conversations, as whispers in the dark of night - when they should be sleeping instead of sneaking out to play - that resounded beyond their childhood years up to know "Take care, for gods' sake, take care of yourself. We're not friends, but once we were and I don't want to miss you, Mal. Don't make me miss you"

Mal buried her face on his neck and allowed herself to relish in his touch, she pretended she didn't want to cry and it wasn't a goodbye. In the Isle, affection was not something freely given and it was almost unknown for villains' kids, limited for the closest ones; Anthony and her weren't close since years ago, but Mal didn't care because it could be the last time. She didn't want it to be the last time, but she wouldn't fool herself into thinking it wouldn't be.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he hugged her tighter. Damn her attachtments and her inability to let go.

Just... just this one last time.

"Of course not, idiot, who do you think you are talking to?"

His heart was strong and steady in her ears. She didn't want to let go. 

She breathed in to give herself the impulse to get away from him and almost let escape a surprised laugh when she smelt the scent of hair dye, because it meant Lady Tremaine made him took some shifts on her Beauty Salon. Anthony always have smelt like hair products since where he lived, but underneath that - and if you had Mal's or Jay's acute senses - the scent of ink and parchment paper could be found since his musical partitures, maybe the mild scent of wood if he would have been chiselling out. It was like being a little girl again and running around to get on pace of Ginny and him, while Maddy and her tried to reach them, colliding with people on their way because both them always have been light on their feet.

She wasn't prepared when Anthony released her. Dropping her fingers from his clothes felt like dropping the Isle and she didn't like the omen. This was not a final goodbye.

It was not, because Mal will assure every kid would get out. Everyone, including Anthony.

Mal closed her eyes at the moment she noticed the soft brushed of fingers at the side of her face. The touch of his skin was a bit rough after years working with wood, but it was warm.

So warm.

She didn't open them when the touch fell and only when she heard the sound of the curtains moving, she let herself watched Anthony leaving, his back disappering behind the fabric.

When she finally encouraged enough to get close the balustrade, there was no trace of him. Maddy would get out of her mind if she'd knew he came to see her, even if it only was for getting a promise out of her.

No. 

A deal, she made a deal with him.

_A favour for a favour._

She wasn't exactly innocent.

_A soul for a soul._

Mal exhaled and finished packing. Time to get out.

* * *

Jay was thrilled by the idea of getting out, he really was. Auradon may not be Agrabah, will not has a desert nor the sun will scorch as strong as he would want to, the air he'd breathe in will be humid as in the Isle - instead of dry - and the wind will not dance with him as fast as he yearns but it's outside the barrier and the Djinn in his blood urged him to run towards freedom and yet... and yet, Maleficent's plan tasted bitter in his mouth.

It didn't matter how much he went over the older Villain's words, once and again he came to the same conclusions. There was not even the slightest possibility of escaping if they fail, no magical exit for them, not a helping hand while they fall. They were going to get straight into Tick Tock's jaws in a macabre waiting game of expecting when it was going to sink its fangs on their flesh and ripped their heads off.

He squezeed his old bag with his belongings.

All in him - though craving for freedom - knew he was going to walk on Jolly Roger's plank at the point of a very sharp sword on his back, pushing him to water and he didn't know how to swim. But he must go on, because Mal promised fulfilling her mother's plan and Fae's promises were binding, he'd never let her alone in a dangerous situation.

Jay looked at the water, where Lagan and Delerict played with each other around his feet and he distracted a bit from his soon to be death. He laughed when he noticed Lagan was trying to bite his toe - the little monster - probably hadn't eaten since the Isle's unease feeling; he ignored the minor discomfort water caused him because they deserved having this before he'll go. He got out if his bag the crustacean he stole from one of Ursula's decoys out of her shop and he threw it to the _murenidae._ Bringing the nasty thing worthed it when his girls eagerly twisted under water to get their food and slightly brushed his feet with their backs as a thanks before starting a fight about the biggest part, the greenish blue of their skin vibrant even in the darkness of the cave that served as nest for them, they were barely of the size of his hand when he was six and now they were going to reach a meter and a half of length, now a couple of years out the little fish tank he had in Mal's room; they could easily take care of themselves but he regretted couldn't be there when they finally be adults.

"So here's where you've been hiding, huh" The voice made him jump on his place enough to almost fall but Delerict held his weigh on her back and pushed his feet out of water. Her head got out to check if he was okay and then submerged again when he fondly patted her. His girls didn't like any demonstration of affection, but they did like sharing his space. "Mom's been frantically looking for you, did you know that? Because you didn't say goodbye to her and you don't have much time before they come for you"

Jade. Of course, it was Jade.

Jay stared at her in annoyance.

Jade was a younger copy of _'amto_ Nasira, same big and black eyes, same hair hanging out in a cobra like shape, and that smile that only seemed to bring trouble; if it wasn't for his cousin's completely lack of self-preservation instincs and her obsession with joining Captain Hook's crew - although being daily rejected - Jay would think his aunt found a way to cloned herself without magic.

"What do you want, Jade?" Jay came close to her "Here there aren't crocodiles for you to fight, only Lagan and Delerict and they won't doubt on eating you if you get any closer"

"Very funny, you know that if I try that again ' _ummi_ herself will hold me under water to drown if I wanted to die so much, and I'm quoting here" Jade pouted a bit "It wasn't even serious, I didn't got hurt"

" _Ya 'ukhti,_ you almost die, of course it was serious _"_ Jay tapped his cousin's forehead with his fingers " _'Amto_ Nasira didn't let me even get close to water for over a month and I wasn't the idiot who tried to wrestle one of Tick Tock's offspring in a hand-to-hand fight, under water"

Jade glanced at him, her teeth clenched in disagreement but without saying anything out loud. Her expression soften in concern when she might have caught something on his face, just like her mother she was really good at reading people.

" _'Akhi"_ And her hand reached his', her arabic with a different accent from their parents but comforting nevertheless " _Kayfa ḥālak_?"

"Honestly, _ana kha'if"_ Jay admitted in a mutter, it was always easier to express his emotions on his native language " _lā aʻrf, 'ukhti,_ all of this seems like a terrible idea to me but _baba_ is excited and I... I don't know what to do"

"Hey, _tawaqaf,_ that's not the Jay I know _"_ Jade squezeed his hand "You'll find a solution, you always does, there's no reason on feeling down. _Lā afham_ , Jay, but _'ummi_ is not happy about this, she ended up in this prison because she wanted to bring Jafar back to life again but I swear, she's about to kill him for imposing you to go. She believes... she believes you may not come back, is that true?"

And Jay wanted to say no. Promised her he'll come back for them, he'll get them out of there but he didn't want to give her false hopes because he's not sure they will accomplished Maleficent's plan. So he shut his mouth and averted his eyes not to see her face.

" _'Akhi, min fazlik,_ promise you will come back _"_ His cousin sounded so young, so tiny. _"_ Jay, _min fazlik_."

" _La astati'e, ana asif"_ He managed to get out of his throat and his chest felt weak and strained " _Ya Allah, ana asif, 'ukhti._ It's dangerous and I don't think... I mean, I hope so but..."

Jade stared at him and she looked so lost that Jay wanted to cry. He never imagined being the reason of that expression on her face.

"Do you really have to go? Can't you stay? If you're worried about Jafar, I'm sure that _'ummi_..."

But Jay shook his head. Lies always came easier to his tongue but he couldn't do it now. Not to her.

"I can, but Mal promised to do it" And he could say the exact moment Jade understood what he meant, why he was doing it, but it was worse for him seeing that comprehension in her yes. He hated it. "I have to go with her"

_(Al-ʾusraẗu laysat šaīʾan muhimman. ʾInnahā kullu šaī. ʿindamā taqaʿu fiī al-matāʿib, ʿāʾilatuka hiya al-atī tadʿamuka._

_Jafar could talk for hours about the advantages of selfishness, making him repeat his words but he will always keep closer to his heart 'amto Nasira's lessons. He's father ended up in the Isle because of his greed, his aunt was there for loving too much. And Jay knows what option he would choose among those ones.)_

"It's... It's okay" Jade uttered but it obviously meant the opposite "It's fine, I understand"

She didn't drop his hands.

"C'mon, let's go, _'ummi_ wants... _'ummi_ wants to say goodbye" Jade drew him to leave the cave "And I... I have a wish."

Jay stayed still.

Nasira and Jade perfectly knew how risky and treacherous was that word around a Djinn. They have absolutely prohibited saying it in his and Jafar's proximity because genies have trouble in letting go wishes, more sincere and deep they are, the worst it felt; and this one, even though they were almost in the epicentre of the barrier, Jay felt it resounding in his bones, calling for him. His eyes flashed and he hated it.

He didn't want to.

He didn't want to Jade doing this to him.

"Jade..." Jay tried to say something, he didn't know what exactly, but something. His cousin shushed him.

"I have a wish, that you will take once you're in Auradon" And her tone was angry and sharp, he found it difficult to associated to her "If you... If you fail in whatever Maleficent's planned and there is a little possibility of you escaping, you take it. I don't fucking care if Mal can't, if Evie can't or Carlos can't, if you can get out safe, you do. Did you hear me?"

Jay looked at her in a loss.

"Jade, you know I can't do that" And it's painful refusing because it was one of the most powerful wishes he ever felt. It's full of despair and hopelessness, is the wish of someone who felt powerless and wants, wants, wants to make the difference "You know I can't"

He didn't expect Jade turning around and screaming on his face. 

"Why not, _'akhi_ , aren't you Djinn!?" She yelled, but her voice was shaking as much as her body and Jay felt her pain, but his friends were also his family "Aren't wishes your command!?"

She was crying, tears relentlessly rolled down her cheeks.

Her hands violently held the collar of his shirt and pulled him close to her face but she was smaller and Jay found himself almost bowing. There was fury in her dark eyes and they seemed like an abyss.

"Djinn have free will as everyone else, _'ukhti_ , I can disagree" He reminded her and he didn't look away from her anger "And I denied this wish"

His words were as sententious as any spell and the fiercely pull of Jade's wish broke. He refused to be commanded by anyone, even Jade.

She felt it too - daughter of a sorceress as she was - and started hitting his chest with her fists. She was barely thirteen, her skinny arms and pointy elbows didn't hurt at all, but every hit was followed for her sobbing and Jay was sorry they got to that point.

 _"_ C'mon _, 'ukhti_ , let's go for ' _amto_ Nasira."

Jay put an arm around her shoulders and didn't let her go even when she tried to push him to water and elbowed his ribs. Jay could bear it, he knew it hurt Jade more than him because her crying didn't stop at any time of their way back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Useless info you may like (or not, is just here for you): Mal was written with Karmina - All the King's Horses and Eurielle - City of the Dead. Jay was written with "Casualty" and "Here we stand" by Hidden Citizens.
> 
> ARABIC TRANSLATIONS (I repeat, I don't know arabic, what's more, this are actually translation from arabic to spanish and then english so, might be wrong):  
> (About "my brother" and "my sister", apparently the concept of cousin is not a thing? more like, the son or daughter of the brother/sister of my mom/dad. So I decided not give myself a headache a just got them treating each other like brother and sister)  
> (I changed the 'aji and 'ujti as someone corrected me in comments it should be 'akhi and 'ukhti, which thanks a lot - since Spanish sound of "j" is similar to the sound of "kh" in English, just a bit stronger - I see how the Romanizations of the word differs in different languages).
> 
> 'Akhi: my brother.
> 
> 'Ukhti: my sister. 
> 
> 'Ummi: my mom.
> 
> Baba: dad.
> 
> 'Amto: aunt.
> 
> Kayfa ḥālak?: How are you?
> 
> ana kha'if: I'm afraid.
> 
> lā aʻrf, 'ujti: I don't know, sister. 
> 
> tawaqaf: Stop. 
> 
> Lā afham: I don't understand.
> 
> min fazlik: please.
> 
> La astati'e, ana asif : I can't, I'm sorry.
> 
> Ya Allah, ana asif, 'ujti: Oh Allah, I'm sorry, my sister. 
> 
> Al-ʾusraẗu laysat šaīʾan muhimman. ʾInnahā kullu šaī. ʿIndamā taqaʿu fiī al-matāʿib, ʿāʾilatuka hiya al-atī tadʿamuka. :
> 
> (Family not only is important, is everything. When you are in trouble, your family will support you.)


	4. Nemesis - Tyche (Pre-Auradon final part)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "My father is The Hunter, if someday you'll find yourself in enough trouble which you can't solve on your own, you can go after him and show him this. He'll understand, he's a good man, he will help you" Evie looked at Harry, who still didn't react at all "I know it's too much to ask, but please take care of this for me. If you doubt, even for a second, that I wouldn't come back, you'll have this as an insurance, I'll definitely return for this... It's my heart."
> 
> And she wasn't being poetical or metaphorical about it.  
> \----------------------------------------------  
> "Oh, you weren't supposed to be the problem child, why in hell did they get you into this?" Eddie hugged him and Carlos pressed his forehead on his chest, stupid Balthazar that couldn't stop getting taller so now he couldn't reach even his shoulder "When do you have to go?"
> 
> "Half an hour" He muttered on his shirt.  
> \-----------------------------------------------  
> The limousine went through it and the Earth crumbled.
> 
> They breathed in as if it were the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note about book characters: Claudine Frollo is Claude Frollo's daughter, y'know, The hunchback of Notre Dame's antagonist (dramatic bitch is Paris' minister of justice - ironic, huh- obsessed with Esmeralda, bla, bla, bla, Hellfire) and Eddie Balthazar is Edgar Balthazar's son (antagonist of The Aristocats, and what's wrong with this Isle and their villains naming their children with variations of their names? Narcissus, is that you?), both of them are part of the Anti-Heroes group Yen Sid founded for Villains' kids who inclined more for good than evil but aren't what you may consider paragons of goodness. I imagine Eddie like I did for two reasons, first one, I think he'd love to annoy his father by using an american accent instead of the british kid he really is, and two, I used to have pink hair a year ago and I miss it, and this kid wanted to say a big 'fuck you' to his father and that's what I did that time.
> 
> Beelzebub is like Lucifer (Lady Tremaine's cat and his hitten too) but without the tip of her tail from a different colour and her chest is white instead of beige/light brown as in Cinderella's movie.
> 
> This is the playlist I use for writing! (To get into mood, I added to chapter 1 and now here).
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6nwSLOjiIOsnTUZHj6AhM0?si=Soo8uolOSLaQv67kfM-0ww
> 
> And this is my Tumblr, I use it only to not sleep at night and see adorable cats, but it's here now (I don't have the faintless idea of how link it, so I just copied and pasted it)
> 
> https://deardeadlychaos.tumblr.com/

_**Nemesis** (her name comes from the Greek word νέμειν némein, meaning "to give what is due", from Proto-Indo-European nem- "distribute") is the goddess who enacts retribution against those who succumb to hubris (arrogance before the gods). Nemesis came to suggest the resentment caused by any disturbance of this right proportion, the sense of justice that could not allow it to pass unpunished. In the Greek tragedies Nemesis appears chiefly as the avenger of crime and the punisher of hubris, and as such is akin to Atë and the Erinyes. She was sometimes called "Adrasteia", probably meaning "one from whom there is no escape"; her epithet Erinys ("implacable")._

_P.S: **Tyche** (/ˈtaɪkiː/; Greek: Τύχη, Túkhē, 'Luck'; Ancient Greek: [tý.kʰɛː] Roman equivalent: Fortuna)_

_P.S.S: **Kallisti** (καλλίστῃ)._

* * *

Evie had Maleficent's words circling around her head while she packed.

She still couldn't believe it, they will get out. They'll reach the other side of the barrier. 

The magic inside her anxiously swirled around, as eager as her to escape and be complete... but not free, not yet. The witch stared at the tiny hand mirror her mother gave to her, the poor one barely a fragment of what it was and she could almost felt the spirit's pain on it for being broken like that. Evie would take care of it very well, perhaps it would help her on finding a prince in reward.

She snorted and paid attention to her clothes again. Sure thing.

Her mood fell down a bit. A prince with a big castle and a mother-in-law wing and lots and lots of mirrors, that is Grimhilde's dream. After years of repeating it for herself, Evie had to admit it would be nice to find love for once but... to be honest, she didn't think anyone in Auradon would find a crownless princess or a magical one really attractive as wife material.

And that's her.

Evie's a witch, a girl borned from and for magic which she will finally have accessed once they'll get through the barrier. Witches, sorceresses, enchantresses, all of them were feared and hated out of the Isle, very few of them were admitted into Auradon and they were strictly limited on that. Evie refused to be chained again, she spent too many years listening to Harry and Uma's dreams of freedom - feeling in flesh what was like living without such an important part of her - and some of their words made a home in her chest. Evie wants, no, she demands freedom.

For years, she danced under a hidden moon with no stars on sight, she religiously sewed spells on her and her friends' clothes - she bled and cried over the threads, because emotions were their own kind of power - _hoping_ a bit of magic would protect them, but her rituals were mere respectful adornments and her protection simple embroidery without magic behind her steps and her sewing. She heard Maddy's speeches about the wonders of magic, felt Ginny's head on her shoulder while the girl lamented on another Samhain with a storm over their heads, she held Uma close to her body while the cecaelia panted and scratched her own neck everytime the barrier cruelly reminded her she didn't belong to land; she was there for the crew when they sighed for the ocean far away from Goblin Wharf, she witnessed Harry's eyes longingly sparkled when he sang about Neverland but dulled again the time he got back to the reality of their imprisonment. She thought about her father, his tender look and his stable hands while he taught her how to hold a bow, who even after having mercy on Snow White he still ended up in the Isle. 

Evie desired freedom for all of them and she wouldn't disrespect them when she'll get part of that coveted outside and let herself be restricted on who she is.

Auradon invited her.

They know who will get into their perfect kingdom. So they'll have to deal with that. 

"So it's true, ye're gettin' out" A male voice startled her "Ye're leavin' us" 

Evie almost dropped her mirror in her surprise. She raised her head only to find Harry climbed up in her window. 

Harry Hook.

In her room.

Something inside Evie screeched and withered because he couldn't have chosen worst time to drop in. She and her things were a mess. She had to retain herself from actively freshen up her make up in the mirror or straighten out her dress, there was no sense on doing such things, Harry couldn't care less about how untidy was her room or if she wasn't looking perfect. Order and decorum weren't words included in Harry's dictionary, he was free-spirited in that way. 

And when his words finally were processed in her mind, she realized of the hurt that marred the clarity of his blue eyes, as the sea on a stormy day.

"No. No, Harry, I'm not leaving all of you" Evie carefully put the mirror on her bed, instinctively reaching for him - to comfort him - but he drew away from her reach as if her closeness could hurt him and no, she was not going to let that happen. She tightly gripped his wrist and pulled him close because Harry comunicates better with touch and body language than with words, he practically thrives off physical contact from others."No, Harry, I would never do that. We were invited to Auradon and our parents want us to help them stealing Fairy Godmother's wand to bring down the barrier. You know that if I had to leave forever but couldn't take any of you with me, I wouldn't have taken the chance. But this is not permanent, it's only until we get the wand and then we'll come back, and if we don't succeed on stealing the wand, well..." 

Evie stopped herself from saying more. Both of them knew what would happen if they failed.

Her words didn't have the effect she was expecting, Harry only seemed to be more tense and despite the proximity between them, he didn't face her. Evie didn't even need to ask where his captain was if the news finally reached Goblin Wharf, she could easily imagine Uma on the shore - with water up to her waist - ragingly screaming at Auradon until her throat gets sored, a difficult deed to achieve being a cecaelia, even a magicless one as she was. More than once she found the captain doing exactly that after a particularly bad day. It wouldn't be strange if she was unleashing her frustration, specially since who else was going besides Evie. 

"If I could get the fuck out... I wouldn't look back" Harry still didn't look her in the eyes and his words were muttered at best "I'd be free"

Evie's expression soften. Harry wouldn't do that, that's just not the kind of person he was, he would return for his sisters, for his father, for Uma, for Gil and his crew... for Evie. If there was something she learned after the year she spent getting to know the pirates - Uma and Harry - is that they love like drowning men. They tried not to show it, but they crave affection as they need air, like they are not sure of what love really is supposed to feel like but if they get their hands on it, they're not letting go. Harry, in particular, loves so widely and desperately as if the people he holds so dear are going to disappear at the time he looks away. Like everyday is his last day on earth and he couldn't bother on pretending he doesn't love them, there are no need of words on that matter, his actions are enough.

It's a rare thing on the Isle.

Evie appreciates it more than anything.

These were his insecurities speaking up for him. 

"That's not true, Harry, you'd come back for us" And the hand which was not on his wrists, gently touched his cheek "Even if you couldn't get out again, ever"

The truth hung between them, heavy and certain. It's what most villain kids would do, because they knew how it felt like living caged as rats, surviving from leftovers, suffocating from lack of magic, yearning to escape. They were raised by some of the worst people their world had to offer, they shouldn't know nothing about loyalty or love, or guilt, but they did felt that spectrum of emotions because they are _alive_ and grew up together, just kids pretending to be monsters they weren't, sleeping all cuddled - back to back - looking for warmth or sharing secret laughs in a place where kindness was the major weakness and the worst sin.

"Ye' don' know, love" And then his expression toughened up, it reminded Evie the time before he opened up to her, before Uma's incident "Princess, ye' don' know what I'm capable of. Maybe I'd steal a ship, get to know Neverland an' then I'd go sailin' through all seas, discoverin' the world an' forgettin' about this hell hole and everythin' I hate that still lives 'ere" 

Evie stared at him and smiled, a fragile and a bit disbelieving thing, because she sincerely didn't think Harry would do that. He just loves too fiercely to even consider the hypothetical situation, but if that was the case then... 

"If that was the case... then I would forgive you" Evie didn't let Harry looked away, even when her hand was slightly trembling at the perspective. She was being completely honest on this "I would forgive you because you deserve to be free, Harry, you deserve to get to know the world and sing to the stars over a ship's deck among unknown waters. You deserve that and more, so I would wait for your return - because one day you would do it, don't lie to yourself - so you'd tell me stories from outside the barrier and I'd get to see how it looks your face after meeting freedom. Maybe, as payment for that, I'd save you from Uma's fury."

And Harry's stony expression collapsed like a house of cards, his posture loosen and his lips pressed together as if he was trying to retain his words. So she did the only thing she could think of and slid her arms around his midsection in a hug, the pirate stayed stiff for a brief second and then melted against her, coming up and wrapping around her as if letting her go would imply lacking from oxygen, his face burying on her neck; there, with him holding onto her like that - stooped over her smaller figure - she couldn't stop thinking that no matter how big and intimidating most of villain kids were, they were just that, kids. All of them were just kids. So she surrendered to his strong embrace and hugged him tighter, because that was what he needed from her now. 

One of her hands reached up to the back of his head, combing through his hair as she relished in the feeling of his soft brown curls between her fingers because that was not something they have done before. She wasn't surprise when he leaned on closer and let out a sigh. That was the first time the son of Hook completely knocked down his walls around her, a previous privilege that only Uma and Gil had, and Evie wouldn't let that be the last time. Her eyes stung when she felt his body shaking a little, as if he was going to shatter in pieces when she let him go, and she breathed in the scent of salt on his clothes and skin and pretended everything was going to be okay. Harry always felt like he just got out from the sea to her, as if he was a human extension of the ocean - similar to Uma but without the magic involved. Just a pirate with the soul of a spirit.

It was kind of heartbreaking having him in her arms like this.

"Ye'll be a sight ta behold, love, with yer magic the world will kneel ta yer feet" Harry's voice was a strangled thing, his accent strong in his hushed words "But I don' want ye' t'leave, for Davy Jones' sake, I don' want ye' t'leave without us. Evie, please."

Evie felt his hands tighten on her hips, as he was reassuring himself she was still there and she felt tears forming on the corner of her eyes but she refused to let them fall. It wasn't fair, what Auradon was doing to them, what his parents were asking of them.

It wasn't fair.

She knew it wasn't logical and probably her mother would kill her for it, _Maleficent_ would kill her for even gave a thought to it, Mal would be so disappointed and betrayed, just thinking about it made her heart ache but... 

"I'm doing this for all of us, Harry, we'll get you out of here, I promise" And Harry seemed to pull away but Evie didn't allow it and finally said what was on her mind, because she has never learned how to say no to him "But... but if you really feel better if I don't, I'd stay, if you directly ask for it, I'd stay. Mal can take care of herself, she's a big girl and nevertheless she wouldn't be alone, they can manage without me, they... can make it work, I have faith in them. I'd stay, for you and the crew, I can wait a bit more. I trust Mal."

Harry roughly pulled away his face from her neck although he didn't seem to have plans on letting her go.

"No, Evie, no" Harry said almost frenzied by the thought, his eyes wide opened and an offended look on his face at her suggestion "No. Ye're leavin' this fuckin' Isle for good. It's just that..."

_We promised to leave together. The crew, Uma, Gil, we promised to leave the Isle together._

Evie understood. It hurts leaving just like that, knowing the rest of villain kids were still trapped.

Tasting freedom is not as satisfactory if you don't have the people you love with you, well, all the people you love, because Evie will have Carlos, Jay and Mal with her on the other side. But she won't have Uma, with her sharp quick answers and her melodic laugh, ready to pat her back when she unwittingly falls in her princess' habits; she won't have Harry whose eyes look at her as if she was a threat and an ally altogether but she wouldn't care less for it because there is a reverence on them that he only has when he looks at his captain and if that isn't flattering then she doesn't know what it is; she won't have Gil, who doesn't know what is a lie and smiles like the sun, who plays with her as if they were still little children; she won't have Gonzo, who makes her blush with his dirty jokes, or Bonnie who patiently combs her hair while she tells her the few stories she knows about Wonderland, or Desiree who takes her to her father's restaurant so he serves her some Dim Sum to "put some flesh on those bones, you're too skinny lass" the weeks her mother restricts her food because she thinks Evie has gained in weight, or Jonas to debate about fashion and different types of fabric, whose mother would affectionately advice her and treats her as if she was her own daughter with a care that Grimhilde is incapable of giving; no Maddy or Ginny to sit under the hamadryad's shadow and laugh until her ribs hurt; no Dizzy to look after, no Freddy to discuss with, no CJ who clings onto her as if she was her sister despite of Harriet's exasperated complaints and Harry's amusement.

It will be only a simulation of freedom. Nothing sweet on it since the impossibility of sharing it with the ones she cares the most.

Evie nodded.

"I'll come back for you" Evie swallowed in apprehension "Even if we fail, I'll come back for all of you, whatever it takes"

She doubted, but finally decided it was necessary. She disentangled herself from him, ignoring his protests and went to the hidden compartment on her floor, one her mother specifically created for Evie's jewels or make up in mind, but there were no such things there, only an ornamental dagger. It was beautiful in her eyes, well cared, the physical proof her father once was in her life and loved her dearly, besides her bow of course. She didn't want to let it go by any means, it was special, her own treasure and one of the things she was planning on taking with her to Auradon but... this was important. This was far beyond important than her egotistical wishes.

"This is very, very, special for me. If I had a ship, this would have been along the ship's log" Evie fondly touched the dagger's cover "This was one of my father's first gifts and all I have of him now, after Grimhilde banned him from the castle and prohibited me to see him... I want you to keep it safe for me."

The pirate was a statue. She didn't think he was even breathing.

Evie knew her dagger was like his hook, he - better than anyone - could understand how much it costed her doing what she was doing, but still didn't take the dagger from her hands, just stared at it. Evie's hands hesitated a little, but she was sure of her decision so she slowly approached to Harry and kindly put the cold steel on his palms and closed his fingers with hers, around the bladed weapon.

"My father is The Hunter, if someday you'll find yourself in enough trouble which you can't solve on your own, you can go after him and show him this. He'll understand, he's a good man, he will help you" Evie looked at Harry, who still didn't react at all "I know it's too much to ask, but please take care of this for me. If you doubt, even for a second, that I wouldn't come back, you'll have this as an insurance, I'll definitely return for this... It's my heart."

And she wasn't being poetical or metaphorical about it.

If it was possible, Harry tighten up more.

Sometimes, when witches become too attached to an object and spend enough time with it, it would absorb lots of magic from the constant contact and end up hosting an infinetisimal part of their soul. It wasn't harmful, per se, but as it usually was the most treasured belonging of the witch and being strongly associated with their emotions which were the source of their most powerful magic, they could be used against them; after all, who better enemy than oneself. This objects, for being hosts of part of a witch's soul and their sentimental value, were called their "hearts"; the irony of the name wasn't lost in her, as they could be their worst enemy or their best ally, and they indirectly were born from their love. It didn't have any use on the Isle, but out of it could be helpful and... it simply was Evie's most beloved thing in the world.

Harry looked at her, his eyes full with a superposition of emotions she was not able to read or interpret, her fingers still over the dagger and his hands. The tension between them didn't dissipate and neither did silence; Evie was tempted to keep babbling only to make the akwardness less deafening, but she couldn't make her mouth to open, her throat felt a little to dry by the significance of that moment, of her gesture. This was no joke, nor something to be taken lightly; it was one of the biggest honors a witch can give and a sign of absolute trust.

She waited for an answer.

The pirate, for first time in his life, seemed to be at a loss of words. If Evie had in her to laugh, she would say that if that was all she needed to shut him up, she would have done it years ago; but she barely stayed together. Harry clenched his jaw and exhaled a breath, that since the proximity between their faces, Evie felt it kissing her cheeks; and with a tenderness she didn't believe he was capable of, he slowly detached his hands from hers, taking the dagger from any contact with her magic and she mourned it a bit. Without looking away from her face, he put it away under his shirt where Evie knew there was a leather chest strap that kept safe two objects more, Uma's shell and his pocket clock, both at the left side. She swallowed.

Harry took her hands and - very leisurely - guided them to his chest, the new home of her heart. Evie's fingers curved over the fabric and she felt as she couldn't breath at all. Harry's eyes seemed impossibly clear, its colour a soft baby blue without being marred by his turbulent emotions, just calmed ocean water on a sunny day. There was a smirk hiding on the edge of his lips - a delicate arc, affectionate and a bit sad - that spoke of acceptance of her offer. It felt like the hamartia in a greek tragedy, dolefully beaufitul but inevitable, the precursor of an ending they don't want to know.

Harry stroke his thumbs over the sensible skin of her wrists, and as if he couldn't bear to fully pull away from her, he pressed his forehead to hers. She hoped he couldn't feel her fluttering pulse.

His eyes looked at her so gently and his expression promised a warmth she wanted to mantain there for eternity.

Evie's lips trembled.

She wished to keep that picture on her mind forever, uphold that brief moment with needles and lovingly sew - _oh, so carefully_ \- the memory's borders to her soul to never let it go. To never forget it.

"Ye're marvellously unbelievable, love" And she didn't realize she was speaking very loud before, not until Harry whispered and she felt his words feathery caressing her cheeks, the contrast of volume disbalancing her "It's okay, I'll take care of this for ye' until ye' come back or I get out, whatever happens first... so hurry up, princess, an' don' make us wait too much."

Evie closed her eyes when he slowly dropped her hands and started to step back. And then she felt the brief butterfly of a kiss on her forehead - a mere gentle touch of his lips - but she couldn't react. Harry left through her window, the same way he got in, and she just couldn't handle to look at where he had been. She had to pack... she had to...

Her heart hammering against her ribcage like a disharmonious orchestra didn't let her think.

She had been blessed. Evie couldn't think it otherwise.

Her cheeks burned from her blushing - furious red on her skin - and she whined before hiding her face behind her hands. That was it, the end of the shelf life of her brain, death by Harry Hook.

She had to pack, but she couldn't focus at all.

This boy was going to kill her, but...

 _'What a way to go'._ Her mind traitorously thought.

Just... What in Hades.

* * *

Carlos left Bargain Castle with the ghost of Cruella's hand through his hair and her laugh's echo on his ears. Maleficent's words were carving a hole in his guts and Mal's promise was beating in his own chest.

He was not ready at all for getting out, to know what's outside the Isle, a tease of how freedom feels like only to be replaced by never ending pain if they fail; he was not going to lie himself in believing he hadn't an idea of what Maleficent would do to them if her plan won't succeed. If Lady Luck is on their side, they'll keep their lives, but he won't have high hopes about it.

He should be writing his will, for all that matter.

Carlos watched the little bag where all his belongings rested and his faint smile felt painful, not that he had too many things on his own to give or people who give them to. Most of his clothes - as overused as they are - were made by Evie in their short lives as friends, and his toolkit was a gift from Jay, probably stolen from someone who didn't appreciate them. The few books that had his name carefully written on the edges of their yellowy and aged pages, had been smuggled by Mal from Maleficent's private library. And he, very deep inside, was as egoistic and greedy as his mother; even in death he wouldn't be able to let go of any of those treasure's pieces because they were presents of his most beloved ones.

The Isle of the Lost was not a place where loving was common but - somehow, someway - he had found a little home between the garbage and Carlos refused to loosen his grip on it. Maleficent's plan had several gaps and blank spaces as if was made of a wrinkled paper, and the fae woman was no fool, she perfectly knew she's sending them to a blind alley, a dead end; since the beginning was made to horribly explode on their faces - with the slightest possibilities of the barrier will weaken enough so some villains would escape - but Mal promised to fulfill her request and only that guaranteed his company, he also had no doubts about Jay or Evie, they'll follow her to the bitter end.

Even if it meant walking into an abyss.

Beelzebub meowed from her place on Jay's bed, her little paws stretching out as if there was anything wrong in the world that a good nap couldn't resolve, her whitey fangs showed in her yawning. Carlos growled and rubbed his face with his hands, because it reminded him he couldn't take her with him.

He reached to her side and petted her soft fur, enjoying her complaisance after a nice rest, her feline eyelids still halfway shut. Bee was a beautiful and loyal cat, one of few constants in his life since he was a child. He seriously doubted there was a pet's clause in their invitation; and if it was one, it was not like he would take her to a place where dogs could ripped her appart.

She rubbed her tiny face against his hand - demanding more petting as the queen she is - and he couldn't stop the tears that rolled down his cheeks because he didn't want to leave her alone, she was his responsability since he was four and she had been on his side through all his stages in life. She had curled up over his chest the freezing nights he spent on Cruella's wardrobe, she had hunted down little animals when they didn't have anything to eat and he was too small to properly win over the other villain kids on the battle royal that was looking for supplies on Goblin's ships; Beelzebub had been his playmate and the one who cheered him up after one of Cruella's hysteria attacks, she had been as young as him with her tiny clumsy paws and her eyes still in that strange middle colour green - between blue and yellow - that most kittens have and despite of that _she_ was who reminded him to sleep or to eat, who made him laugh by licking his tears when he was sad, her tongue tickling and distracting him from a probably dark train of thoughts. Since Lady Tremaine put her in his arms, they had never been appart.

And he had to leave her behind, without knowing how she would be, amidst an Isle full of Villains who don't care about people, much less for animals. He lifted her up - _and_ _she is so fragile, has she always been so small?_ \- and held her close to him. Beelzebub let him and questioningly meowed at him, she pressed their cheeks together and her whiskers caressed his skin, she knew something was wrong, his wise girl.

Perhaps Carlos may will never see her again and he had to be sure she will be in good hands. The problem was he didn't know who might receive a cat besides the Tremaine's and the witches, and he was not sure Anastasia or Drizzella would be kind enough to take an hostile Bee in their house, because his girl wasn't an easy one. Beelzebub was stubborn and short-tempered and sometimes Carlos asks himself how is possible she loves him so dearly while hating everybody else, but he's grateful for her affection, though now was a troublesome thing. He didn't believe seeing her tolerating people besides his friends, well, except... except... Carlos didn't want to even thought of him, he hated the idea, didn't want to see his stupid face again, meet him again.

But Bee needed a new home and carer, and as much as he detested the idea, Diego might be one of few people his cat liked. Still, he was not so eager to talk to his cousin again.

Carlos zipped his bag up and hung it over his shoulder, while humming to himself Roger's song that Cruella abhorred so strongly.

_(He, along with Diego, more than once practiced the melody until tireness, to later hid into one of the unnecessary giant furniture on Hell Hall and whistled it everytime Cruella passed by them, watching her face wrinkled in annoyance was a strange pleasure when that fury wasn't directed to them.)_

He looked at the clock on the wall, he didn't have much time; Carlos hoped Diego would take care of Beelzebub, he didn't know who else turn to, in this matter. Maybe Anthony Tremaine, but it would be almost a suicide to get into Maddy's territory to look for Dizzy's elusive cousin, and he was impulsive but definitely not stupid.

He wearily sighed, giving a last glance to the little nest he had with his friends.

It was a mess. Furniture didn't match since most of them were rescued by Jay and him from garbage to later be fixed, Carlos had saved some remnants of Cruella's old fur coats and sewed them together to make some bedspreads to all of them, which had gaps they filled with fabric from Evie's childhood dresses;walls were covered with Mal's art and seemed like a rainbow esthetically threw up to the ceiling, where Evie attentively taught Mal how to paint the several constellations of their sky that none of them have ever seen, but they had some pictures provided by Harry Hook - and hadn't been that a surprise - who had a star chart since they are usually used for navigation and lent it to Evie.

_(Carlos still didn't understand the strange friendship between Evie and Uma's crew, but they make her happy; so it didn't matter to him how much Mal had grumbled, he allowed the pirate's presence while they were preparing the sketches, and he could admit seeing too what her friend saw in Harry, that in spite of the years he intimidated him and ridiculed him - clearly having some bitter backstory with Mal and whoever who would dare associating with her - had been really patient with him while explaining the stories behind the constellations and not even once made fun of his bad tryings of pronunciating their names; Harry's expression had been gentle as he spoke of how would look a cloudless sky and how helpful were stars at guiding on open water. Carlos cherished the memory close to his heart, no fighting or scheming on their little space, only laughs and dreams, they didn't have much of those.)_

It had been a safe place, its walls heard them roared with laughter and angrily cried, nastily schemed counterattack plans and plotted their best mischief. It was their little disaster - just like all of them - but was _theirs_ and he was going to _miss_ it so fucking much. That apartment was the first place Carlos ever considered a home because Hell Hall might have been his residence for eleven years but never had been a home. Not for him, not for anyone.

His dark eyes ran over their warmly space and he burned to his memory how it looked like in that exact moment, how happy it made him, what it meant to him... and opened the door to leave.

He held Bee up, who had followed him, and started the infernal way down road to Diego's apartment, which he shared with Eddie Balthazar and Claudine Frollo. He knew that unlike his father, Eddie loved cats but he wasn't sure he would be willing to live with one, especially such an unfriendly one as Beelzebub; Carlos didn't know much about Claudine, he had only seen her from the corner of his eyes in her father's _Creperie,_ attending to customers, he hadn't had the faintless idea of her opinion on this matter.

Since Frollo's shop was near Bargain Castle, the apartment his cousin lives in was on that area too, since Claudine was actually the owner of the property; she simply shared it with Eddie and Diego as a favour between friends to cut prices a bit.

Carlos hesitated once he got to the stairs. His palms were sweating and he couldn't hear a single thing since how hard was beating his heart.

Usually, he would avoid Diego as he had the plague, because he didn't like the dreadfully feeling in his heart everytime he sees him, the fury that blinds his eyes and fills his body, the ache in his stomach as he was being kicked down and he suddenly is a little kid again, he never wants to feel as he did when he was a little kid. Carlos hid his face on Beelzebub's fur and deeply breathed in, trying to put off the darkness that was slowly devouring his sight edges. It was not the moment for a collapse.

( _Carlos made out Diego's back as he was leaving Hell Hall forever, just five years older than him but feeling so distant from him. He clung onto his clothes, begged on his knees 'please, Di, don't leave with them, don't leave me alone', but his cousin only cupped his face in his hands and apologized, and Carlos didn't remember exactly how his features twisted into something not so far from misery, as blurry as was his sight since his tears that didn't stop, but he didn't think he would want to recall it if he could. Diego leaving meant there wouldn't have been anyone who'd distract Cruella anymore, or who would have sit out her mother's wardrobe to speak him to sleep, no more songs about outside the barrier, no more stories about Diego's friends that cheered him up at night, no firmly hands who would have wiped away his tears or helped him to bandage his injuries as after the incident with his mother's trap, or comforting words. His cousin left and didn't look back not even once. So years later, when he showed up in his little new home, Carlos didn't feel any guilt on shuting the door on his face. )_

When he rang the bell on the entrance, who opened the door wasn't Diego and something inside him relaxed.

Eddie sleepy smiled at him, his dyed pink hair a chaotic disorder that was pointing in all directions, he was still on his sleeping clothes and his eyes were a bit stained by eyeliner that he probably forgot to wipe out - a blurry looked on them - but gentle, _always oh so warmly kind_ ; he was one of few Diego's friends who knew about the De Vil's lives on Hell Hall and the only one who saw his corner on his mother's wardrobe. He still remembered his revulsion and anger at the sight, and the screaming match he had with his cousin because Eddie wanted to get them the fuck out of there but Diego refused to involve him on their problems. He will never forget Eddie's face when he saw his threadbare pillow - the only amenity he was allowed - and how his body powerless shook at the sight of the hand shaped bruises on his arms; they were not friends - the five years age gap didn't make it easy for them - but Eddie came to visit him even after Diego left Hell Hall, he made sure he had food although Carlos tried to explain him he had no problems anymore on getting supplies and Eddie was the only one he told about where he lived with his friends, so he was not that surprised when his cousin appeared there some days after that.

"Carlos, what you doin' here?" Eddie didn't even think twice and let him in his apartment "Wouldn't you should already be in Dragon Hall? Mother Gothel use to be late but I don't think she will be extatic of someone else appearing an hour late to her lesson."

Carlos dropped Beelzebub on the couch near the entrance and nervously combed his hair with his fingers, at a loss of what to say, his situation was not the best one to explain.

"Yeah, about that, funny thing..." He looked around the living room, trying to find something to fix his eyes on and not Eddie. He focused on the floor after seeing a framed photo of Diego and him, an old one of when they were ten and five years respectively. He didn't know where Diego found it, but he didn't want to see it. "I'm not going to Dragon Hall anymore"

Eddie watched him - amusement in his eyes - from his place, languidly leaned on the door frame as Carlos moved around the room, uneasy.

"Kiddo, I know you're smart but I don't think dropping school is a good idea" The young adult yawned and reached for the cup of cofee on the table, seemed like Carlos interrupted his breakfast "I know, I know, may sound silly here in the Isle where there aren't exactly excellent job prospects or best chances in life, but school will let you be a kid a bit more..."

And then Eddie _really_ looked at him. His bag on his shoulders, the expression of his face and Beelzebub, that Carlos always lets at home. He frowned.

"Carlos? What's... what's actually going on?" Eddie stepped forward to him.

He nervously laughed.

"Look like news didn't spread as much as I thought, huh, so" Carlos timidly shrugged his shoulders "Four villain kids were invited to Auradon, I'm one of them"

The street's racket outside was the only sound that filled the space for a few seconds and then Carlos wasn't able to hear anything as Eddie had him gripped with an arm and with the other was viciously ruffling his hair. His laugh was a strange mixed between joy and sobbing.

"Let me go, you uncivilized brute!"

Beelzebub meowed in displeasure of the treatment her owner was receiving, since her place on the couch.

"No, no, no, you won't get out of this, brat. You're going out, for all the gods, you're going out of the barrier!" And Eddie looked so delighted by the news, so glad for him, that for a second Carlos thought that telling him the truth wasn't worth it. But Eddie being Eddie, quickly noticed his troubled expression "Why... why aren't you happy?"

He stopped trying to get loose of the older one's grip and Eddie's arm became a comforting weight on his shoulders instead of an annoyance. The hand that was messing up his hair kept steady and warm on his head, like when he was younger. And Carlos' determination on lying curled up and died, because he never was able to lie to Eddie.

"Maleficent ordered us to steal Fairy Godmother's wand once we are there" Carlos mumbled and took the arm around him with both hands, not wanting to loose the human contact yet "We are between a rock and a hard place, Eddie, and I can't find a way everything would end up good for us. I simply can't find it."

There was a brief moment of silence, as if the half-asleep brain of Eddie processed the information.

"Oh, you weren't supposed to be the problem child, why in hell did they get you into this?" Eddie hugged him and Carlos pressed his forehead on his chest, stupid Balthazar that couldn't stop getting taller so now he couldn't reach even his shoulder "When do you have to go?"

"Half an hour" He muttered on his shirt.

Eddie's arms completely embraced him and because he was a goddamn giant, Carlos felt as if he was being surrounded for the biggest and warmest blanket in the world, that smelled like coffee and cheap cologne. It was like the older was trying somehow to block the outside world from reaching him. It wasn't logical but was _so_ Eddie that he melted in his hug, he didn't know if he will ever see him again and he had too many things to apologized for and be thankful for, and, God, if it wasn't for Beelzebub he wouldn't have even thought on saying goodbye to Eddie and he was an idiot and...

"No, whatever that's running through your monochromatic mind, no" Eddie said over his head and Carlos felt the sound rumbling on his chest "I know it's a lot to take in, and it's okay to be confused or mess things up"

His eyes stung but he refused to cry again, he didn't want Eddie's last memory of him would be him being a stupid crybaby.

"I'm sorry" Carlos' voice quivered and even when the tears in his eyes burned as acid, he didn't let them go "I'm so fucking sorry"

And Eddie started muttering those strange noises he always have thought that were comforting noises but sounded like he was trying to summon some creature from the depths of Hell, and Carlos wanted to laugh and cried at the same time. For Mab's sake, he was a mess. He couldn't believe that goof was his older brother figure... his mouth trembled and he buried his face more on Eddie's. It was fine, he could have this, could love one person more besides his friends, there was no need to be dramatic about it if he possibly won't have this ever again. He could rejoiced on it, Eddie was not being taken away.

"Why did you really come here, Carlos? You know I love you to pieces and I'm glad to see you before you leave but... Diego still lives here, and I don't think you want to see him" Carlos' cheeks lighted up red as Christmast lights "C'mon, kiddo, you know I won't judge you"

He reluctantly pulled away from the hug and fixed his eyes on Beelzebub. Eddie followed his look and immediately understood.

"Do you want me to take care of her? I don't have problems with it, but you know that Lucifer's spawn hates me"

Carlos shook his head.

"I hoped... I hoped Diego would look after her, he's one of the few humans she likes" And he added a bit quieter " Not that I understand why"

Eddie gave Carlos a reproachful look and he faced it with his own, unimpressed.

"Well, fine, as you wish" Eddie exasperately raised his hands "But I can't speak for Diego. Tonight he has a concert on Witch School, good pay, and he left early in the morning to carry his instruments and prepare the stage, stuff like that, y'know how shit goes. He won't return in a few hours, sorry kid."

Carlos posture fell down because Eddie was right, he couldn't just dropped Beelzebub there and flee, but he hadn't had the time to run to Witch School. It was on the other side of the Isle.

"I know you have to leave, I'm just stating the fact that there is no permanent residence for Bee here until Diego says it" Eddie sighed and rubbed his hand on his hair "I'll try to convince him, I don't think he will have a problem with it, really, and if he does then I'll take her with Anthony. You know he'd receive her with open arms, he's a sucker for kitty eyes"

And Carlos nodded, because yes, he knew Anthony has a soft spot for cats and was the best option, but he wouldn't risk it getting into the lion's den that is Maddy's territory.

Eddie got it and he didn't say much about it. That was the reason he was Carlos' favorite among all villain kids that weren't his friends.

"Eat something, Carlos, I'll take care of Bee in the meanwhile" Eddie put a hand on his back and Carlos felt for first time since Maleficent told them about her plan, that not everything was lost "And you tell me what I have lost this last year on your life, on my end I took up a new hobby. With Claudine's help, I'm making some simple jewels, have you ever thought on using an earring?"

He smiled and sat along Eddie on the table. For the next half an hour he allowed himself to be involved by Eddie's babbling.

Just one last time, just a little longer.

* * *

At the scheduled time, the four of them were at the Isle's Gate, holding on their hands the few parts of their lives they were allowed to take. Their parents were there too, albeit not one got closer as if they could feel their animosity, excepting Cruella who was being held by the Evil Queen and looked ready to chase her son... he ignored her. There were a little crowd circling the limousine because of course Auradon had to rub their luxuries on their faces, some of the younger children seemed tempted to steal its tires. They approved their initiative although it was not the time nor the place.

Mal's face was stony, her posture tense and her eyes couldn't stop gleaming that vibrant green that cleary put off the _single one_ Auradon's civil worker there, who nervously kept looking at her but her anger - her fury - stopped her from enjoy his anxiety; Carlos' eyes were a bit reddish on their edges and his hair was a mess, but he didn't seem have plans on getting it right, there was a cat shape earring on his left ear and since the way he inclined his head, the piercing was as new as the jewel; Evie had a flawless appearance, her make up well done and her hair esthetically spread over her right shoulder but her characteristic tiara was absent and her look was lost somewhere in the Wharf's direction; Jay's easy attitude and confident smile were nowhere to be seen, and just like Mal, his eyes gave away his conflicted emotions, flashing bewteen his usual brown and an intense red, as if he was trying to calm down but couldn't.

Squeaky and Squirmy Smee ran around eachother close to the vehicle, while Celia Facilier tried to convince the driver to let her read his future; Dizzy Tremaine was not so far away, with an enthusiastic smile on her face as she shook CJ Hook's arm, who was pretending to be bored but at the least distraction of the people around her, she slowly was getting closer to the limousine, her eyes sparkling.

They roughly reminded them why they were even considering Maleficent's plan. None of those children deserved being trapped in the Isle.

Carlos and Jay rapidly got into the limousine as they were indicated to, both resigned to their destiny. Evie and Mal hung on a little longer on putting away their bags on the trunk.

From the corner of her eyes, Mal saw Anthony - he was near Dizzy, probably her caretaker of the day - and there was something raw in his eyes when he looked at her, his jaw was clenched as if he wanted to speak out loud but the words didn't come out, if she didn't know better Mal would have thought he wanted to reach her; his fists curled at the side of his body. He already said his goodbye and made clear he only had been there in her room looking for a promise, she didn't understand why he was there at her departure. Next to him, there was a boy standing still that she didn't met in person but perfectly knew who he was; Diego De Vil was there with Beelzebub climbed up on his shoulders and although Mal was aware of the past between him and Carlos, she believed the older one was about to burst into tears. She clicked her tongue and showed them her theeth, furious, she didn't want them there.

She got distracted when between the people - for only a brief moment that her heart skipped a beat - she suspected to catch a glimpse of Hades distinctive blue hair, but at a second glance it was gone. Mal reprimanded herself for being naive and stopped pretending she still had something to put away, heavily stepping to get into the vehicle.

Evie stayed and looked around, her eyes wandering over the people, searching for their colourful presence but she didn't see them. She examined every face but no, they were not there, so she closed the trunk.

"What, no hug for us, princess?" Uma's voice reached her ears and she sweared she had never turned around so quickly in her life that she could feel her backbone realigned itself. Her voice was sored, probably from her previous screaming "And I thought we were you favourites but turned out it was Harry all along. I'm so dissappointed, darling, I thought you had better taste"

And there was the crew. Evie's face lighted up as sky full of fireworks.

Uma didn't look happy but the bitterness in her expression soften a bit at fixing her eyes on Evie and the witch couldn't stop herself from running towards them, her heels hitting hard the wood of the floor and a cheerful laugh escaping from her throat. She ignored Grimhilde's loud complaints about her lack of decorum or the possible fury she could have inspired in Mal, and threw herself onto them.

Gil was the first one to caught her, his arms surrounding her waist and while he loudly congratulated her, he also was openly crying; his blond hair shamelessly sticked on his cheeks since his tears and his lips wided on one of his sunniest smiles, spoiled by its shakiness as if it was physically hurting him keeping it up, in his presumably best try on not worrying her. Evie appreciated the effort but she assured him it was okay feeling sad, she hugged him tight and whispered in his ear how much she was going to miss them all what only led to Gaston's son crying even more.

Bonnie made herself a little place on their hug and gently cupped her face in her hands, she muttered something Evie couldn't hear and then painted with tainted fingers on the skin of her cheeks something she was not able to see either, at finishing her work, she said the witch was ready for Auradon; Jonas slightly pushed Gil and Bonnie away and - after softly kissing the top her head - he surrounded Evie's neck with a richly embroidered black kerchief, she gasped when she recognized Uma's crew symbol intertwined with the beautiful swirled patterns on white thread. Gonzo judged her appearance and then nodded to himself, he took off his hat and put it over her blue hair and she had to retain from bursting into an ugly crying as Gil. Desiree left on her hands a little box that she knew had food and nodded to Evie, approving whatever she saw in her.

This... this meant something to the pirates, much more than a mere blessing and she still couldn't fathom what, but at an instinctively level she cherished it.

Uma got closer to her and the crew made her a little space in the middle, not letting the people outside their cyrcle witnessed what was going on inside. The Sea Witch attentively watched her, her eyes wandering from Gonzo's hat, passing over Bonnie's marks to Jonas' kerchief and her look warmed up. She suddenly took Evie's free hand, and put something on her palm - tiny and with a round shape - then she pressed her fingers around it, preventing her from opened it and saw what was on it.

"Tear them appart, princess" And she was not part of her crew but she founded herself nodding to her petition "They don't know shit about what's coming for them, bring them to their knees. And... take care of yourself, Evie, I don't wanna deal with this bunch of idiots if something happens to you"

Uma stared at their entangled hands for a moment more and her features twisted into something she couldn't read. Whatever was in her hand, was difficult for the Sea Witch to give.

"You know how it works" Uma dropped her hand and Evie missed her warmth "Don't let us down, Evie"

She confusedly blinked but before she could ask, Ursula's daughter was already walking away along the crew and the crowd of people around them moved away at their pace. The noise she associated with them, slowly disappearing and she was encouraged enough to look what was on her palm. She almost chocked when she saw it was a shell.

Their driver honked the horn, once, twice, three times and she distractedly got over the limousine. Mal was not happy but didn't say a word.

The four of them refused to look back when the vehice started moving.

Carlos deeply sighed, swirls on Jay's skin brighted up, Evie bited her tongue and Mal's hands were shaking.

Not even the sweets around them could clear the heavy air, all of them stiffened, waiting for crossing the barrier.

The limousine went through it and the Earth rumbled.

They breathed in as if it were the first time.

_(That in the deep, deep sea, where sunlight can't reach and souls bedeviled, bury you will not be. Poseidon your voyage protects and Calipso your life ensures to watch; no one escapes Davy Jones, but the water may save you from his domains. Dead men tell no tales, but their words from the depths keep you out; Kymopoleia your path avoids and among tides and sea foam sails your ship , Rhodos' love enlight your day and between Scylla and Charybdis may never find yourself, and at your arrive at shore, in Gaea's arms you lay. There is a rumour on the waves that your union with them is not soon, the ocean will be friend and not tomb as your feet touch lumber and the Anemoi pushed your sails.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some details about the final blessing. That if you ask, was made by Uma .
> 
> Poseidon was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses. Calypso and Davy Jones, they are a bit more difficult and easy at the same time, I took into account the story from "Pirates of the Caribbean" mainlys because this is Disney, they should be in Auradon history, instead of Calypso real myth (y'know, daughter of Atlas, comdemn to Ogygia to fall in love once and again, tried to convince Ulisses/Odysseus to stay with her and forget about Penelope, that didn't work, poor girl) and for Davy Jones literally my only knowledge about the guy are PotC movies so there is not folkloric investigation there.
> 
> Kymopoleia (Κυμοπόλεια), well she is a bit more interesting, she's the daughter of sea god Poseidon and his wife Amphitrite (who is also the goddess of calm seas and safe passage through storms, but is sort of bad luck bring a godly marriage into a blessing, since their turbulent relationships that would only be counter-productive). She is the goddess of violent sea and storms, I found interesting mention her since she is the wife of Briareus one of the three Hundred-Handers who in Theogony is mentioned that they returned to Tartarus, to live nearby the "bronze gates" of the Titans' prison, where presumably, they took up the job of the Titans' warders. And I like the link to Hades there.
> 
> Rhodos' love is Helius the god and personification of the sun, and Rhodos herself is the goddess and personification of the island of Rhodes, she's also a daughter of Poseidon, the question here is with who (some say with Halia, others with Amphitrite and other with Aphrodite. Personally, I like the latest one, because that would mean she was born from love and the ocean and she fell for the warmth of Sun. Idk, maybe i'm a hopeless romantic.)
> 
> Scylla is a legendary monster who lives on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite her counterpart Charybdis. The two sides of the strait are within an arrow's range of each other—so close that sailors attempting to avoid Charybdis would pass dangerously close to Scylla and vice versa. She was a beautiful naiad who was claimed by Poseidon, but the jealous Nereid Amphitrite turned her into a terrible monster by poisoning the water of the spring where Scylla would bathe (or, she was loved by Glaucus, but Glaucus himself was also loved by the goddess sorceress Circe. While Scylla was bathing in the sea, the jealous Circe poured a baleful potion into the sea water which caused Scylla to transform into a frightful monster with four eyes and six long snaky necks equipped with grisly heads, each of which contained three rows of sharp shark's teeth). Her body consisted of 12 tentacle-like legs and a cat's tail, while six dog's heads ringed her waist. In this form, she attacked the ships of passing sailors, seizing one of the crew with each of her heads.
> 
> Charybdis was a sea monster, believed to live under a small rock on one side of a narrow channel. Opposite her was Scylla, that lived inside a much larger rock. Three times a day, Charybdis swallowed a huge amount of water, before belching it back out again, creating large whirlpools capable of dragging a ship underwater. In some variations of the story, Charybdis was simply a large whirlpool instead of a sea monster. She was the daughter of Poseidon and Gaia, she aided her father in his feud with her paternal uncle Zeus and, as such, helped him engulf lands and islands in water. Zeus, angry over the land she stole from him, captured and chained her to the sea-bed. Charybdis was then cursed by the god and transformed into a hideous bladder of a monster, with flippers for arms and legs, and an uncontrollable thirst for the sea.
> 
> Gaea or Gaia is the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities, she is the ancestral mother of all life: the primal Mother Earth goddess.
> 
> And finally, the Anemoi were the four wind gods in Greek mythology, each of them corresponding to one of the four cardinal directions (North, South, West, East) from which they came. They were the children of Aeolus, the Keeper of the Winds, and Eos, the Titan goddess of the dawn. The four gods were Boreas (North Wind), Notus (South Wind), Zephyrus (West Wind) and Eurus (East Wind).


End file.
